


insomnia

by fearlesswind, viren_writes (fearlesswind)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Aliens Made Them Do It, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Bottom Lance (Voltron), Grinding, Jealous Keith (Voltron), Kissing, M/M, Masturbation, Mating Rituals, Mutual Pining, Oil, Porn with Feelings, Post Season 6, Rimming, So much kissing, THAT'S A LOT, Top Keith (Voltron), Wet Dream, Wow, they love each other but they're too stubborn to admit it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-20
Updated: 2019-11-20
Packaged: 2021-02-16 05:08:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 32,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21502387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fearlesswind/pseuds/fearlesswind, https://archiveofourown.org/users/fearlesswind/pseuds/viren_writes
Summary: There’s a tug at his hand and then a pair of soft lips meet his hand. Lance’s eyes fly open and kneeling right in front of him is Prince Silas, a warm smile over his lips. Everything stops and he can’t fucking breathe.“It would be my honor for you to be my lover during the Paeonia Ceremony” He says.“Fuck no” Keith replies.“Oh my god” Pidge groans behind her hands and Lance has to whole-heartedly agree.Even in nightmares, even in dreams, I want to see you
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Comments: 76
Kudos: 1150
Collections: Voltron Smut      mostly klance





	insomnia

**Author's Note:**

> im sorry mum and see ya'll at church on sunday.

Ever since the destruction of the Castle of Lions, Lance hasn’t gotten a good night’s sleep. 

It doesn’t help that they’re traveling across the universe with their Lions as their only refuge and home. His back aches from all of those hours spent sitting in Red’s cockpit. Oh and not only that but he feels he might need glasses from all of those bright shining lights by the console.

Days and nights blur by and it’s been too long, way too long. He’s lost count of how many days have passed since they started their journey back home. Time passes by and Lance can barely even register the mysterious constellations appearing before him. Everything’s so foreign, so strange and his mind can’t catch up to a single thing.

Lance blinks once, twice and sees himself sprawled over Red’s cockpit. 

More like pushed against his lion’s pilot chair, a blurred figure looming above him and slowly caressing every single part of his body. He shudders, body reacting instantly to those hands roaming around his chest and then circling his back. 

He tries moving, but his arms and legs don’t respond, everything too sluggish and slow for him. The person above him chuckles right by his ear, before kissing that piece of skin and trailing down and down. Lance squirms, his mind trying to catch up to everything that keeps happening as the foreigner trails his rough hands over by his ass.

Whimpering he looks down and finds that his clothes are suddenly gone, stripped out of his usual blue armor and naked for the rest of space to see. Lance tries covering himself, his legs closing in on themselves as the blurred figure appears next to him. 

He pants and just as the unknown man pinches one of his nipples and he cries out, bucking into an empty space. The figure continues to laugh, hands roaming all over his chest, back and ass. Lance moves his head, trying to see the face of this mysterious man but his eyes can’t focus. Glossy and hazy, he slumps back into the chair, a ghost touch over his legs making him shiver up and down. 

Once more he finds the figure looming on top of him, an immense pressure over his ass and Lance can’t quell the moans any longer. He throws his head back, crying out just as the man continues to grind down on his body. They’re too close, way too close and he still can’t see the figure’s face. 

Lance doesn’t think twice as he locks his legs around the man’s back and holds on for dear life with his arms slung around his shoulders. He moans and moans and finds himself kissing the unknown figure. It’s a mess and he feels the temperature rising up and up, pleasure at the peak. 

“Lance” The man slurs against his ear. 

_ “Cum for me” _

Everything’s too much, all of the things crashing around him. He feels the pleasure toppling over as he spills over, crashing down against the unknown man. It keeps going and going and he’s going to pass out any moment now. Turning his head he looks at the figure, hands discovering familiar raven black hair falling over his face. 

He tries speaking but not a word leaves his mouth. 

The blurred figure smiles and leans in closer. They’re nose to nose and Lance can finally see the mysterious silhouette take shape of a familiar face. A very familiar face. 

His eyes widen just as they meet mesmerizing indigo eyes. 

“Hey there Sharpshooter” Keith tells him and then kisses him.

* * *

“Lance” 

He wakes with a start, jolting up in his chair and promptly knocking himself over the edge, crashing right against the floor. Red laughs in amusement over their bond and Lance would’ve scolded her if he wasn’t in the predicament he was in right now.

The dream flashes by in his mind and he can feel the hot blush of embarrassment spreading over like wild-fire. He groans, burying himself further into the floor, never wanting to come back out. What the fuck was he thinking?

_ I dreamt of Keith. _

_ I dreamt of having sex with Keith. _

Lance yelps and looks down on his flight suit.

_ I came while dreaming of having sex Keith. _

“Lance!” 

He knocks his head over the console as another roaring laughter comes out of Red. Lance groans again and quickly yanks his familiar green jacket over his hips, trying to cover up the wet spot right over his crotch. 

“Lance are you there?” 

The voice of Princess Allura rings through the comm link and he debates if he should come out of his hiding spot or just lie down on the lion’s cockpit for the rest of eternity. Oh god he felt like such a horny teenager. 

“I’m h-here!” He yelps, voice breaking at the thought. He feels another wave of teasing going through his bond with Red and honestly his lion was out to get him.  _ Continue with this and I will not bathe you like we promised!  _

“Are you okay buddy?” Hunk pipes in, his face appearing over the comms “We’ve been calling you but you didn’t answer” 

“Uh-h no, sorry” Lance carefully crawls over to the pilot seat and quickly sits down, folding his green jacket over his lap.  _ Hope no one says anything about it _ “I dozed off for a few minutes, sorry”

“You look awfully red” Pidge chimes in, a frown already taking over her face. Lance pales and hopes the blush of embarrassment isn’t visible through their comm “Are you sick or something?” 

“Just a bit dizzy, nothing else” He lies easily, a smile taking over his lips “What’s going on?”

“We’ve encountered a distress signal”

This is what he was worried about. 

He looks up at the central image and there he is. Keith freaking Kogane in all of his glory sitting right in the Black lion’s cockpit. Just the sight of him makes him blush even harder. How was he supposed to see his friend eye to eye after such an intense dream?! 

The memories flash once again over him, images of Keith pinning him down to the chair and touching every piece of skin in his body, makes him flare up. 

He feels his crotch twitch in arousal and oh god just eject him into space. 

“Lance?” 

“Y-Yes?” 

Keith gives him a strange look, eyebrows lowering and a small frown appearing over his face as he leans closer over his console. Lance feels the blush spreading all the way from his ears to his neck, pulse tingling. 

“Are you sure you’re all-right?” He asks, concern slipping into his voice, “You don’t have a fever or anything do you?” 

Lance’s heart trips over nothing, beating right out of his chest at the worried expression settling over the Black Paladin’s face. He fists his hands together over his lap, a fluttery feeling expanding all around his body without remorse. 

“We need you in top shape if we go ahead with the mission”

_ Right. _

He breathes out, heart dropping at Keith’s words and averting his eyes away from the comm.

A wave of worry now filters his mind and he pushes Red away in an instant, a sense of hurt and anger filling him like nothing else. He grips his jacket even harder, feeling the older seams snapping at each touch. 

_ This is all about the team. This is all about Voltron _ he chants over and over again like a mantra  _ He doesn’t care about you.  _

He bites down on his lip, the familiar taste of iron drowning him. 

_ I don’t have time for this Lance!  _

“I’m fine” He grits out, knuckles white and numb from the pressure. Red is reaching out to him again, but he pulls away immediately. He wants to scream, cry and just fucking be done with this, but nothing ever goes his way “I won’t mess up the mission Mullet”

Keith makes a face at the old nickname, frown deepening instantly. Lance leans back on his seat, still tearing at his jacket and gaze trained on the floor of the cockpit. The Black Paladin had changed over their time in space. Lance could hardly interact with him anymore and it was getting harder and harder to ignore it as the days went by. 

He’s at loss on what to say or what to do. 

And now.

Well it’s worse than before.

Because he knew Keith. He learned how to interact and talk with him. Grow past his animosity and feelings going even deeper. But now, with Keith gone for the Blades, with Keith suddenly two years older. 

He doesn’t know how.

Not only that but with the pile of feelings he grown into for his leader, well things are never easy for him. A mix of relief and anger washed over him the moment he saw Keith in all of his glory step into the Castle of Lions. The guy barely spared him a glance, already focused on their mission at hand and wanting nothing to do with him.

Well two can play at that fucking game. 

“Just wanted to check up on you” Keith huffs, crossing his arms over his shoulders an annoyed glare making way into his eyes “Remind you to take care of yourself”

“Yeah well I didn’t ask for your  _ fucking _ input now did I?” 

The words tumble out of his mouth before he could stop them, anger growing at each second that ticks by. Hunk shifts in his seat, a worried frown already making way on his face as Pidge just gapes back at him. He doesn’t even bother looking at them.

He looks up and meets Keith’s furious glare head on, eyes locking onto each other. 

“I won’t bother next time then” The Black Paladin cooly responds, but Lance knows better. His leader is really trying not to snap at him, a familiar vein rising over his neck. His eyes are drawn to it almost unconsciously “Make sure you don’t mess up the mission”

“The mission, the mission, the mission” He mutters under his breath “Because it’s always about the fucking mission”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“Keith” Shiro’s voice pipes in from the comm over the Black Lion and Lance knows he’s making a scene. A really horrible one. But he can’t help to edge the other boy on. This is what he knows. It’s what he’s known since before Keith left for the Blades. 

Might as well keep up the act. 

“You know exactly what the fuck it means Kogane” 

“Enough” Krolia’s voice cuts through the comms. The Galran looks at them through the console, a neutral expression over her face. Lance doesn’t know her enough to know if she’s actually calm or if she’s pissed on the inside, but one look from her stops him. Keith bristles but backs off as well, letting his mother speak up. 

“If you two continue fighting, we won’t be able to reach the planet Nyx on time” She reprimands them, not leaving a single ounce of sympathy for either one of them. She turns to him, and there’s some sort of understanding over her eyes but he doesn’t dare to speak up “We take care of the mission and then we can rest” 

Lance relents and nods in agreement, the other ones speaking up their approval. He doesn’t look up again, eyes trained solely on Red’s cockpit as Allura responds the distress signal right away. He’s not even sure how he’s going to manage freeing a planet with only two hours of sleep and exhaustion weighing him down.

His small holo-pad dings over by his make-shift bed, the notice of a message received. Lance grimaces, already dreading whatever it is that’s written on there. He’s sure Pidge and Hunk will pester him like no other once they finish the mission. 

He gives the device another look, but doesn’t pick it up, simply taking Red’s control in his hands and steering a little faster to where Allura laid out their trajectory. His lions slips past the others but no one says a thing. 

Lance signs off his comm without notice and then hears another set of messages from the small pad. A notification over by his console lights up. A request for a video conference one on one and of course it’s coming from the Black lion. 

Something ugly is unraveling in him as he ignores the request and keeps going, letting the message ring and ring until it drops dead. He keeps going, Red silent over their mutual link. 

Rolling his eyes, he continues until a slight nudge to his lion snaps him out of his trance. He looks to his left and sure enough there’s the Black lion flying right next to him. He grips onto the controls tighter, fingers bruising and numb. 

He can’t see Keith over by the cockpit but he knows that the bastard is looking right at Red, right to where he’s sitting. With another groan he turns back to the void of space, gaze stuck on endless nothingness as they continue flying. 

He doesn’t think about the dream after that.

* * *

The ion cannon goes off just as they reach Nyx. 

Everything was blurry after that. A mess of Galra cruisers and ships attacking each other, purple and blue shots going off like firecrackers and ships crashing into each other. The scenery was too familiar for his eyes and just like that Voltron joined the fight. 

Red saved them of a certain death more than five times, exhaustion finally winning over as Lance passed out twice after bashing his head against the console. It was one of the hardest battles they faced, or at least he thought after the last cruiser exploded into nothingness. 

Not only that, it was one of the first battles back together where they couldn’t form Voltron. 

They tried and tried and tried, but nothing worked. The lions wouldn’t budge, an unknown force pulling them apart from each other. He knew it was his fault. If he hadn’t spoken to Keith, this whole mess would’ve been over before it even started. But that anger and outright stubbornness won him over as they tried again and again.

And thus the planet of Nyx suffered for it. 

“We are very sorry for your loss”

Princess Allura bows before King Adros, offering him a bouquet of fresh juniberries and their own set of forget-me-nots to him. The king, a hybrid between Galra and Nyxian, takes the flowers into his hands, a teary smile over his face. Servants rush immediately to him and take the item in their hands before rushing off. 

The aliens on the planets are mostly Nyxian, their skin splattered with every color imaginable and small specks of stardust shimmering over their hands, feet and cheeks. Their eyes similar to a reptilian, blue and purple irises looking back at them as they wavious platinum or golden hair flowed behind their back. A great majority of them had Galran fur and ears over their bodies, highlighting their mixed race, along with scars and carvings all over their arms and legs. 

What Lance couldn’t understand was why would the Galra attack one of their own. 

“Galra hybrids are horribly looked down upon” Krolia whispered among their team, the same question over everyone’s head “And to see a planet full with them, well I guess the Galra didn’t take it to their liking” 

Lance clenched his hands by his sides and looked back at the king standing before them. 

They were standing at the Nyxian royal palace. After defeating the Galra cruisers, everyone quickly descended on planet, to provide any means of help and rescue. Soon enough they found the whole town in shambles, debri and trees fallen everywhere as the Nyxians scrambled to help each other. 

They didn’t waste time and immediately sprung into action, assisting every single citizen they encountered and helping with the reconstruction of the buildings. With the help of Voltron, it was easier to get the city back up and running, all of its citizens pitching in to help. 

Even so, Lance couldn’t help but to trail his eyes at the crystal cases carried over to the funeral service. 

There were always casualties. He’s seen that far too many times, but to think they could’ve prevented this slaughter if they had the Castle of Lions. A shiver goes down his spine as he turns once more to the King. 

30 Nyxians and 20 Galras dead among their people. 

“I’m just glad no one else got hurt Princess Allura” King Andros speaks, moving over to sit by his throne, a sad smile overtaking his face “My daughter is surely in a good place now, right along with her fianceé” 

Lance gulps and sees the huge portraits hanging at the far end wall of the throne room. The first one there’s King Andros next to his wife and a little Galran girl in the center, the three of them in a very regal and formal attire. The next one is pretty much the same with the addition of a Nyxian boy. And the last contained only King Andros and his children, way older than in the first two. 

“My daughter knew what she was doing right at the last second” The king speaks up again, a far away look over his eyes “She and her fianceé were tending the outskirts of the city when the Galra attacked.”  _ It was too late to do anything _ goes unsaid.

“Princess Zenyth was immensely brave even in the face of danger” Allura says, and though Lance shares the sentiment, he knows a parent never wants to hear that sort of thing. The message is given by the king with a tight lipped smile at his lips. 

“Yes my daughter” The king breathes in “I’ll miss her” 

That sole sentence pierces a dagger through his heart. His eyes water in a matter of seconds and the only thing he can picture is his mother saying such a thing regarding him. It’s devastating and heart wrecking to just think about. Hunk nudges him by the shoulder and he quickly straightens, taking in a sharp breath. 

“Is there any way we can help you and your people King Andros?” Coran pipes up next to Allura.

“You’ve done enough for me and my people Paladins of Voltron” The king smiles, a true happy smile but it does nothing to calm down his nerves, “We’ll be forever grateful and you can stay here as long as you’d like, you’re more than welcome to do so” 

“Thank you King Andros” Allura bows once more and everyone follows after her “We’ve been traveling for a long time and we really appreciate your offer. We’ll stay here for only a few quintants and then we’ll be on our way” 

Lance looks over to her, a protest already making way in his mind, but says nothing at the sight of her relief. He wants nothing more than to reach Earth and fly away to Cuba and disappear from everyone’s sight. Have a peaceful day away from the lions, Voltron, the team and everyone. Just him and the ocean. 

But he keeps his mouth shut. 

“My King” A Nyxian girl approaches the throne and kneels, before rising once more. Her bright purple eyes are puffy and swollen, dried tears running over her freckled cheeks. He bites down on his lips as the servant girl continues, “I’m very sorry to trouble you during these tumultuous times, but the civilians have been frantic. They want to know whether the Paeonia Ceremony is still going to be held or not?” 

There’s a slight tremor in her voice that sends another wave of worry through Lance. Everyone seems to be on edge as well, their eyes turning to look at each other. King Andros furrows even deeper into the throne, massaging his temples before speaking. 

“Tell the people we will continue with the ceremony” The King blinks his eyes, straightening up “At most the ceremony will be delayed another day to restore the Nox Temple and get everything ready. But it will happen” 

Just with those single words the girl brightens up instantly, wiping away her tears and standing up from her spot. 

“Thank you” She says and bows once again, “Thank you very much Your Majesty!” And with that she goes back on her way, her feet skipping away. Lance smiles as he watches her go and then turns to the King, who’s turned somber once again. 

“King Andros is everything all right?” Allura insists, taking another step towards the throne. 

Hunk and Lance exchange a worried glance before turning to look at the king once more. Was that ceremony so important that the king was practically turning a nervous mess right before them? 

_ What is this about anyway? _ He thinks and Pidge nudges by his side. He glares at her but the girl only points at him ‘Pay attention’ she mouths at him and as a response he only stucks his tongue out. 

“I forgot about the Paeonia Ceremony” The man shudders, closing his eyes and thinks. Lance feels the urge to bring some sort of comfort and he takes a step before a hand pulls him back. He turns and Keith is holding onto his wrist, shaking his head in response. 

The touch between them lits something up and Lance feels his skin burning at the contact. His mind jumps back to the dream, a dream where Keith held onto him like a lifeline and everything burned between them. He blushes at the memory and he snatches his hand away from the other man’s, heart racing a mile an hour. 

The Black Paladin stays silent and turns once again to look at the throne, not moving an inch away from his side. Lance gives him another look, clutching at his hand against his chest and turns back towards the king. 

King Andros is looking back at them a pensive look over his eyes. He calls out for a servant and quickly one of the soldiers comes forth, kneeling before addressing the man. 

“Can you call for my son?” He whispers to the citizen “Tell him to come here as quick as possible”

“Will do My King” And with that the soldier scurries out of the throne room. 

Lance watches him go and just as he turns back King Andros is already looking back at him. He blinks, a shiver already going through his body at the intensity of the stare. Before he knows it, he’s closer to the Black Paladin, shoulders almost in contact with one another. 

“Paladins of Voltron” The king stands from his seat and slowly makes his way towards them “If your offer still stands, I believe there is a way you can help me and my people”

“Of course King Andros” Allura replies before anyone could object “We will provide any assistance you and your people may need” 

“Princess” Coran interrupts “Maybe you should first hear what the Paeonia Ceremony consists of” 

“Ye-ah, yeah you should really do that” Romelle pipes up besides the other Altean, her cheeks turning a shade of pink and her marks glowing like a thousand suns. 

Hunk and Pidge turn to look at each other before looking back at him. If Coran isn’t offering help right away then maybe this ceremony isn’t as safe as they make it out to be? Lance shrugs in response.

“I won’t push you princess or your paladins to participate in this event” The king speaks, eyes softening as he goes “But I will greatly appreciate it if you could lend us a hand” 

No one speaks and the king takes it as a cue to continue on with his explanation. 

“The Paeonia Ceremony has been celebrated here for thousands of years. It’s one of our most ancient traditions and each nine moons we celebrate it in honor of our goddess Nyx” King Andros moves over to the tapestries hanging around the hall. 

Tall and beautiful cloths hang around each arch, a mix of purples and blues decorating the tapestries and golden specks and embroidery highlighting the story told in them. Lance moves his eyes from one to the other, awe and curiosity going off inside of him as the king continues to speak. 

“In three days our ninth moon cycle ends and the ones representing us in the Paeonia Ceremony were my daughter and her fianceé” King Andros coughs into his hands, rocking a bit against the wall “And if we don’t celebrate it before the cycle ends, a great calamity will befall on our planet” 

“But at the same time I understand if you don’t wish or are uncomfortable in helping us” The king huffs out a small chuckle, and honestly if their planet is going to die should he really be laughing? He and Hunk share another look, “As I’ve seen human species and Alteans aren’t really that open to these kinds of ceremonies being held and even less participating in them” 

“Yes I’m afraid so my King” Coran coughs and finally Lance sees a small red blush dusting his cheeks and honestly what the fuck? Is it something that deeply embarrassing that even Coran is blushing?! 

“ _ Que carajos _ ” He mutters under his breath and Keith gives him a look. 

“The Paeonia Ceremony is the celebration of our goddess and the union of our people” The king continues “One of the participants has to be either a Nyxian or a Half-Galra. Not only that but both partners need to have a deeply strong bond or enough public recognition to be chosen as participants. The celebration consists of separating the couple once the sun rises and the citizens will decor every street and house in their honor. The participants go through a series of prayers and cleansings before exiting the palace once twilight has settled and make their separate ways to the Nox Temple.”

“Once there, they will climb up to the temple and meet their loved one at the top” King Andros has a soft smile over his face, surely a distant memory passing through his eyes. Lance smiles and relaxes.

_ Well it can’t be that bad. _

“And spend a night of coupling together, blessing the land in our feet by dawn” 

Allura makes a strangled gasp, breath catching on her throat and coughing up furiously. Her face is red as a tomato her marks glowing high pink as she tries to regain herself. Coran moves to pat her back as Romelle tries to calm her down. 

“Ah, so that’s what it is” Krolia mutters behind them. She seems as stoic as ever, a playful smile edging at her lips as she speaks “It’s a mating ritual”

_ “What?!”  _

Lance screeches and crashes right into Hunk, his best friend blushing and looking down at the floor. He swears that there’s steam coming off out of everyone’s faces Shiro coughing along with the princess and Pidge just trying to cover up her flushed face. He turns and sees Keith’s pink cheeks, a serene look still on his face.

The Black Paladin turns to his mother, conveying some message between them, before looking back at the king. 

How in the fuck was Keith so normal about this? 

_ It’s a sex ritual!  _

He feels like a noodle as he nestles his head over Hunk’s chest.  _ What the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck. _ Then his eyes widen and he snaps to the king. 

“You want us to have sex with someone?!” 

That probably wasn’t the best idea, as the rest of the team groans out loud, blushes intensifying to extreme magnitudes. 

“Lance oh my god, why did you have to spell it out loud?!” Pidge screeches, covering her ears, glasses askew over her nose. 

“Oh man, oh Jesus” Hunk keeps muttering under his breath, the threat of passing out clear on his face. Lance instantly wraps his arms around his friend, supporting his back. 

“What did you want me to do?!” He yells back, cheeks red and heart pumping at his chest “You know I can’t process anything when I’m embarrassed!” 

“Well don’t talk about it would be a starter!” The girl screams back.

“Calm down everyone!” Shiro intervenes, trying to appear calm on the outside but oh Lance knows better than that. The former Black Paladin was blushing from head to toe, eyes stuck on either the ceiling or the floor, unable to meet anyone’s eyes “I’m sure the king doesn’t want us to get involved with anyone”

“As a matter of fact I do” Everyone snaps their eyes to him. King Andros laughs against his palms, amusement rolling off in waves “I require assistance from one of you to participate in the ceremony”

“ _ Ay no me jodas _ ” 

This was just going to be a freaking fun fucking day wasn’t it?

_ Just take me, take somewhere far away from here. _

“King Andros I don’t mean to impose” Princess Allura coughs into her hand, blush high and mighty over her cheeks “But that is a very intimate act to both of our species, surely you must know that-”

“I wouldn’t ask this of you if it wasn’t a situation of life and death” The king intervenes, a serious look crossing his face, leaving behind that amused smile. Lance gulps, clutching even tighter to Hunk the eyes of the man dancing right in front of him “I would gladly offer myself but I’ve already performed the ceremony with my late wife. My daughter was going to be next and due to the situation, my son will take her place” 

_ Then why the fuck does he need Voltron for?!  _

“Father?” Jus then a rough voice pulls them out of the conversation. Lance turns and sees a tall, lean Half-Galra standing over by the entrance of the throne room, three flanks of soldiers following after him. 

_ Oh damn _ his mind says just as the prince strides in the room. The man has a mane of lilac locks all neatly wrapped into a french braid, pale blue skin glistening around. He’s wearing a rich royal blue tunic covering from neck to toes, golden specs flowing all the way down his back. Though what catches Lance’s eyes are those intense pair of grey eyes. 

Their gazes meet and Lance feels as if his soul is ripped out of his body. What’s worse is that the prince has the audacity to give him a grin. Sharp canines flash over his lips and honestly Lance isn’t even into that but dear god. 

_ Well if it’s with him... _

Hunk slaps him over the back of his head. 

“What was  _ that _ for?” He whines, rubbing at the sore spot. 

“I could feel your thoughts all the way from here, please don’t” 

Lance huffs, turning once more to look at King Andros and his son reunite. He feels something over by his face and just as he looks, Keith is turning his head away to the front. Frowning he’s about to speak up but the king’s voice interrupts him.

“My son, let me introduce you as though I’m sure you’re quite familiar to who they are” The king gives his son a small smile before addressing them “These are the Paladins of Voltron along with Princess Allura from Altea. And to our guests here is my son, Prince Silas.” 

“Nyx is forever indebted to you Princess and paladins” The prince bows before rising and offering them a small smile “Our planet would’ve been long gone if it weren’t for your help” 

“Thank you Prince Silas” Allura rises up, a deep blush still over her cheeks as she speaks “Voltron will always be here to help those in need” 

“And Nyx will answer your call whenever it’s needed” The prince then turns towards his father “Why have you called me here father? The servant provided me with very little information, but she mentioned it had something to do with the Paeonia Ceremony”

“Yes it is regarding that matter” King Andros nods, sending another look in Lance’s way and he was really starting to doubt if the royal actually knew how to read minds or something “As we previously discussed you will participate in the ceremony.” He then turns to them once more “This is where you come in paladins, if you do wish to help” 

Oh fuck, oh wow. 

“My son doesn’t have a significant other for the moment and well since you are popular enough among my people one of you could participate in the ceremony” This was really happening huh? Lance blushes even more, eyes widening and mouth agape as the king trudges on “My son is already Half-Galra so it would be a matter of who would like to participate.”

Have sex with a sexy prince to help a planet survive?

Lance closes and opens his mouth, response hanging on his tongue. While he knows it’s for a good cause, he can’t bring himself to say anything, words stuck and empty. Sex as a form was a very intimate part of a relationship. And while yes, he likes to flirt around and fool with people here and there, he could never find himself just having sex for the pleasure of it. 

“I know you are not quite used to this” The king presses on, “And the only reason I’m asking you is because I know my son has a small infatuation with one of you” 

Okay wow what?

“Father!” Prince Silas turns a shade of pale blue, cheeks and fingers radiating off the color like a nebula across his skin. 

“I wouldn’t put you in this sort of spot if it wasn’t for the situation Silas” King Andros, places a hand over his son’s shoulder “At least I want to make sure it’s with someone you admire or-” 

“Oh please stop” The prince buries his face in his hands. 

“We’re very flattered by this-um-proposal Your Majesty” Shiro pipes up before any of them could even blink, the red blush still over his cheeks” But we must decline-”

“No, Shiro a moment please,” Allura interrupts him and that has everyone else on edge. The former Black Paladin gives her and odd look but it seems like the princess completely ignores it “We wish to help in the ceremony”

“Allura you can’t be serious” 

“We need to help these people Shiro” She insists, but the embarrassment is still over her face “And-and if we can help them like this. It’s just one action and just one single night. Nothing bad will come of it” 

“We can bring help, but I assure you none of them feel ready for this” Shiro insists, now his blush gone and a much more frustrated look taking over “This is something really serious and intimate. Add on the fact that it will be with a stranger at best!” 

“I know that Shiro, I know” She huffs but Lance knows a stressed Allura when he sees one. And currently the princess was going off the rails “But they’re requesting our help with this! The least we could do-”   
  


“We can bring help in other ways!” He fights back. Lance bites down on his lip and looks over to Hunk. The Yellow Paladin looks uncomfortable at best, eyes shifting between the princess and their former leader. Pidge looks a bit stressed as well and honestly like hell he’s going to let her go through with this. 

“Okay calm down” Keith interjects between the two. Krolia steps up and gives him another pat on the back “I understand Shiro’s point regarding...the ritual. But I also share Allura’s sentiment” 

Lance’s eyes widen even further because wow is Keith really suggesting what he is suggesting? 

_ What in the fuck? _

“Keith what the fuck?” Pidge muses out loud and Lance has to agree whole-heartedly. 

“I think it’s only logical” Keith shrugs and for a fleeting moment Lance sees him turn in his direction. Their eyes meet for a brief moment, blue and indigo before their leader turns to the king once more “King Andros you said that Prince Silas here was infatuated with someone from our team? Maybe we could reach a decision if we knew who was this candidate. Also the person chosen can decide if they are willing to participate in this”

That...actually does make sense. 

Lance worries down on his lip, eyes shifting between Keith and the royalty. While it was true that it made sense, he couldn’t help but feel something nagging at his mind, stomach dropping low inside of him. He eyes Prince Silas, heart going a mile an hour before the king replies. 

“My opinion does not matter in this situation” King Andros answers and then turns to his child “The prince here, if he’s okay with it, will be the one to take the decision” 

Prince Silas exchanges another look with his father before nodding. There’s a pregnant silence in the air, no one muttering a single word as the prince carefully strides away from his father and with each step comes closer to them. One foot after the other as the proximity between the two groups closes and closes. 

Lance can feel the blood rush over his ears, nerves pounding on his head and hands shaking by his sides. He can’t risk looking at any of his teammates, barely able to do the same for the prince coming their way. He snaps his eyes shut, still clinging to Hunk. The footsteps vibrate in his ears, echoing all the way through his hammering heart. 

_ It’s just sex, it’s just sex, it’s just sex _ , his mind repeats like a record, tyring somehow to convince himself of that statement. 

But it was much more than that to him. 

He couldn’t. 

There’s a tug at his hand and then a pair of soft lips meet his hand. Lance’s eyes fly open and kneeling right in front of him is Prince Silas, a warm smile over his lips. Everything stops and he can’t fucking breathe. 

“It would be my honor for you to be my lover during the Paeonia Ceremony” He says. 

“Fuck no” Keith replies. 

“Oh my god” Pidge groans behind her hands and Lance has to whole-heartedly agree. 

He turns to the Black Paladin and honestly the expression on his face is downright terrifying. Eyebrows pinched together, murderous glare over his eyes and a snarl taking over his lips, yes Lance was definitely terrified of that. 

On the contrary, Prince Silas only laughs in response, rising up to his full height. In close proximity Lance can see that the Nyxian prince surpassed him with a good three inches and god those muscles being this close. 

He was really going to pass out. 

“I thought you suggested the one chosen would get to decide” The prince smoothly says, a toothy grin on his lips “So I’ve chosen and now the Blue Paladin gets to decide” 

“And I said no” Keith presses on, promptly shoving himself between the two of them. 

Lance’s heart was flipping in on itself. Relief? Hurt? Joy? Anger? What was going on inside of him. He couldn’t make up a single sentence his eyes switching between the grin over the prince’s face and the snarl adorning Keith’s. 

“You doubt of your paladin’s choice?” Prince Silas chuckles once more, finding some sort of entertainment in Keith’s anger and Lance’s ultimate demise. Then he turns to look at him once again, hand reaching out for his “It seems to me he’s perfectly capable of making a decision for himself, don’t you think Blue Paladin?” 

“I-I uh I-I really d-don’t know” He barely manages to stutter out just as his hand comes in contact with the prince’s. That only seems to fuel Keith even more, Krolia stepping in before he could do something rash. 

“Calm down” She whispers placing a hand over her son’s shoulders and pulls him back. Keith sends her a furious glare and that doesn’t even deter Krolia in the slightest. 

The Black Paladin huffs, stepping away from her hold. He looks almost like a stressed animal, moving from one side to the other, a fury so untamable flaring inside his gaze. Lance wants to reach out and calm him down but there’s an emotion far uglier brewing inside his head. 

“Lance you can say no all right?” Shiro is suddenly right next to him, something akin to concern over his face. Hunk is right next to their leader, nodding away, worry and anxiety eating him alive from the inside “There’s no pressure to do it, it’s your decision alone” 

  
He nods along to every word tumbling out of the man’s mouth but one look at the king has him stalling. He could just say no and forget all of this ever happen. Let the Nyxians resolve their troubles with someone else. 

But he can’t.

Not when these people need so much hope. 

_ It’s just sex.  _

He doesn’t doubt for a moment that he wouldn’t enjoy it. Prince Silas looks capable enough and honestly Lance would be with him given other circumstances. So maybe, just maybe he should consider it?

“I-I” The words are stuck on his mouth, stuttering between acceptance or complete negation. His mind can’t make up a single sentence, tongue mumbling over and over. 

“You don’t have to” 

He turns to Keith and his heart stops. 

The Black Paladin looks shaken right to the core, edging between inching closer or staying next to his mother. It’s a plea. A plea ringing behind his words and Lance doesn’t know what to make of it. 

_ Make sure you don’t mess up the mission. _

And he stops. 

The annoyance, the hurt and anger directed at Keith comes back. And honestly why the fuck should he listen to him? A flare burns against his skin, anger growing and growing, not giving it a single chance for it to stop. 

“We-we need to help them” He says, turning to look at Shiro, trying to calm down his nerves the best he could as he avoids those deep indigo eyes.  _ Fuck it, fuck it, fuck it _ he chants over and over, hoping and praying that he’s making the right decision in the long run. He turns to Prince Silas “Is this really going to help your people?” 

“I am certain that we need to go through the Paeonia Ceremony” He talks low and sweet, but he could care less about that in the moment “Me and my father wouldn’t have asked of this sacrifice from you if it weren’t crucial to our planet” 

He nods, and breathes in. Lance can’t look at any of his teammate’s faces. He’s probably not going to be able to do that after the ceremony. But they had fucked up with helping this planet once. They needed to help it once more.

_ It’s just sex.  _

_ The mission, the mission, the mission. _

_ Always about the mission.  _

“Lance” Keith speaks but no, he can’t, he can’t look at him.  _ Especially him _ , his mind reels back the memory of that obscene dream and he just wants out “ _ Please _ , you don’t-”

“I will” There’s a finality in his words as he looks up to Prince Silas and breathes in “I’ll help you during the ceremony” 

He can feel Keith’s gaze piercing the back of his head, but he’s already burning up from the inside. 

The prince gives him a wide smile and leans down to his level. Before anyone speaks, the royal drops a kiss right over his cheek. 

Lance doesn’t know if he should feel relieved or not that no butterflies flip his stomach over.

He can only feel those indigo eyes burning him.

* * *

“Lance you really have to think this through.  _ Really _ think it through” 

“Oh my god”   
  


“I can’t believe you said yes”

“Oh my _ fucking  _ god”

“Language Pidge!”

“Enough!” Lance screeches, glaring right back at his team, cheeks red and flaring. 

King Andros and Prince Silas insisted on giving them refugee in their palace, out right refusing the idea of letting them sleep in their lions. 

‘We can’t have the saviours of our planet and one of the Paeonia participants sleep out like trash!’ or so they said. So everyone got their own spacious room and bathroom (a luxury in Lance’s eyes) along with a small lounge that connected the nine bedrooms in their vicinity with a series of complicated hallways. 

The rooms were just as impressive as the throne room. A king-sized bed stood at the center and beautiful purple silk curtains draped all over from the skylight. Tapestries and oil paintings decorated all of the walls, looking like something straight out of an art museum. Lance wanted to squeal in delight at the sight of the bathroom, a whole line of bath-bombs and lotions waiting for him, but in all honesty he couldn’t even enjoy that. 

The nerves of what he had just agreed to where too much for his body. His legs kept bouncing up and down the minute he sat still, eyes darting all around the rooms and biting down on his lip constantly. He was so tired of tasting blood. 

And to make matters worse, the team continued pestering him with questions. 

“You really have to think about what you’re doing Lance” Shiro insisted for another time. Lance understood his worry, but couldn’t they just trust him for once?! Was it too much to ask?! “This isn’t something you can minimize. Really think about-”

“Shiro I know,  _ I know _ ” He huffs in annoyance, crossing his arms around his chest “You’ve told me at least a thousand times.”

“I know, I know you don’t want to hear it constantly, but please just think about it” Shiro presses on “I don’t want you to force yourself to do something you don’t want to do” 

Lance hunches in on himself, avoiding the man’s eyes. 

The idea of the Paeonia Ceremony is still rolling in his mind. Over and over again. There’s this sense of duty that he needs to fulfill, a sense of need and a desire to help the Nyxians. But there’s also this lingering doubt behind him. Does he feel safe enough to do this? Does he feel comfortable enough to have sex with some stranger he met just a few hours ago?

Absolutely not. 

_ Don’t fuck up the mission. _

But there’s no way he could tell them that. 

There’s no way he could do that to the Nxyans. They’ve lost too much during the fight. He couldn’t bear to cause them any more danger or worry. 

_ It’s just sex.  _

That sentence repeats and repeats but everytime he says it, it becomes less and less true. He thinks of Prince Silas, of the kiss he planted over his cheeks. But there’s no flurry, no excitement from that single action. 

Not to say that the prince isn’t an eye-candy, but Lance felt...

Nothing.

Not a single butterfly, erratic heartbeat, clammy hands. 

Nothing.

_ Hey there Sharpshooter _

The dream of Keith’s been plaguing his mind, and now  _ that _ gets his heart doubling in on itself. A tremendous heat curses through his whole body, flaring up his insides like nothing else. And Lance knows, finally knows what those feelings mean. 

But there’s also this lingering heartbreak at the memory of Keith leaving. Of Keith brushing him off like it was nothing. Of Keith just completely ignoring him in the midst of everything. Of him and Keith fighting and yelling curses at each other. Of Keith completely disregarding him. Anger, hurt and longing mixes in and Lance doesn’t know what to do with it. 

Keith clearly doesn’t want anything from him. 

_ That’s also your fault _ , his mind says. 

Lance gulps and shyly looks over to where the Black Paladin stands. The boy is next to his mother, the last member to enter the longue before the doors shut close. He’s been silent this entire time, gaze stuck on the floor as they left the throne room. 

He’s never seen him like this. 

They’ve dealt with thousands of enemies, Sendak, Zarkon, freaking Lotor. It’s been a hell of a ride and with all of their enemies piling up and up, each time getting worse than before, it was natural for the team to get stressed, worried. Even scared. 

In his eyes, Keith has always been the epitome of calm before the storm. He was never fazed with any of the fights and scenarios presented to them. Always neutral, his instincts kicking in during the battles. It was awesome and inspiring. But most of all it was comforting. 

Now, Keith looked stressed out of his mind. Worried was a short word to describe how the Black Paladin looked like.

It’s extremely strange.

“I’m not forcing myself” Lance speaks, hunching in on himself “I know what I’m doing” 

“Do you now”

Keith’s voice snaps everyone’s attention to him. Lance forces himself to look up and meet the man head-on and flinches the moment their eyes meet. Without noticing he’s already taking a few steps back just as Keith walks over to him.

His instincts are screaming at him to run away, nerves spiking up in just as second as their distance shortens with each breath. Those beautiful indigo eyes are swallowed up in a huge fury, so hot and burning that he can’t look away from. 

“Do you really know what you’re doing Lance?” Keith asks, on the verge of spilling out something so ugly and devastating and his heart is in overdrive “This isn’t one fling like the ones you’re used to! They’re asking you to have sex with a fucking stranger and you said yes?!  _ What the fuck?! _ ” 

He gasps, offended at the accusations being thrown at him, especially coming from Keith other than anyone else on the team.  _ You’re wrong _ , he thinks and pleads somehow that his leader can get the message across. 

“I-I know that” He stutters, voice on the edge of breaking off “I’m fully aware that it’s a bit much, but-t-”

“But what?!” Keith is right in front of him, screaming and eyes wild with something intangible. Lance steps away instantly, his back hitting the wall as the Black Paladin comes closer and closer, “Why would you agree to something like this?!” 

“Keith, calm down-” Shiro tries interceding only to end up with his hand slapped away. 

“No, Shiro!” The Black Paladin shouts making Lance flinch against the wall behind him.

“We need to help them. They’ve lost too much already. Besides it’s just-” He wants to say the word, spit it out of his mouth but he can’t. Not when Keith turns his frazzled eyes towards him “-It’s fine Keith. If we can help them like this, it’s fine”

“It’s not fine!” Suddenly he’s right there, inches apart from Lance’s nose, their breaths mingling with each other. Their bodies are pressed together and he wants to back away into the wall more and more “How can you say that?! The mission-”

It’s always about the fucking mission. 

Lance sees red and one moment he’s pressed up against the wall and the next he’s pushing Keith away. Something snaps inside of him and just like that he lunges right on top of the Black Paladin. 

Someone shouts his name but he can’t pay attention as both him and Keith tumble to the floor. He ends up sprawled over his leader, but that doesn’t deter him for even a second. He’s grabbing the boy underneath him by the shoulders and shoving back against the floor. Fury, anger and hurt mix all together and he knows he could land a punch right over the boy’s face but for some reason he can’t find it in himself. 

“Always about the mission, the mission, _ the mission! _ ” He yells back, words slurring and breaking all together. Everything is finally tumbling back down and there’s so many things he wants to say.  _ You left, you left me and now that you’re back I can’t even talk to you, _ “I’m doing this because of the fucking mission  _ you imbecile! _ ” 

“You may think I would throw myself to anyone but newsflash asshole I wouldn’t!” He screams and screams, the words tumbling out of his mouth one after the other, throat raw and rasping against him. He can hardly breathe, lungs collapsing in on each other as he shakes Keith onto the floor “I wouldn’t do this, not in a million years! But your fucking mission always comes first doesn’t it?!” 

Keith grabs onto his wrists and before he can shake the hold off, he’s being shoved back onto the floor. There’s a series of shouts and screams as his back collides with the hardwood. He loses his breath, head numbing with pain as he looks up and sees the Black Paladin looming before him. 

“I don’t know what do you want from me Keith” He seethes, wriggling against the floor to free his wrists from the Black Paladin’s hold. That only seems to encourage the other man as he presses even closer “Let me go. Let go of me Keith!”

“ _ No! _ ” He meets those indigo eyes and there’s no anger or fury left in them. Keith looks shaken to the core, eyes wide and pleading “No, I won’t let go until you explain to me what’s going on with you” 

“I’m fine!” Lance insists, moving his head from one side to the other “Everything’s fine Kogane!” 

“Bullshit! You’ve been avoiding me ever since I came back!” 

“Who’s the one who started it?!” He yells back. Everything happens in slow motion as Lance sees the Black Paladin’s eyes widen for a fraction. There’s this sign of recognition and he knows that Keith finally gets what he’s talking about. The need to continue with his spiel burns inside of him and maybe if he weren’t so enraged he would’ve stopped. 

“You left”

Keith sucks in a sharp breath and really this isn’t the time to be discussing these things. 

“You left and then what? Expect everything to be fine?” 

Lance feels a wetness over his eyes, the image of the boy on top of him blurry. 

“Fuck you Keith”

And then just like that, Keith is snatched away from him. 

“Wait, no Shiro-Wait!” The Black Paladin says as Shiro drags him away. Lance doesn’t have much say in it as Krolia steps in and hauls him up on his feet. He goes wordlessly, embarrassment shooting up inside of him at the sight of the other team members. 

He keeps his eyes trained on the floor, tears still cascading down his cheeks as Keith’s mother steers him towards his own room. Lance can still hear Shiro and Keith arguing somewhere inside the lounge, but he doesn’t dare to look back. Krolia settles a hand over his shoulder and gently guides him far away from the room. 

Neither of them speak as they walk away and away from the scene. 

Lance hunches in on himself, crossing his arms over his chest as they make way to his room. He doesn’t dare to look at the Galra beside him, shame eating him away. They both continue to walk until they come face to face to what was designated as his room. 

Krolia pushes the door open and strides inside the room. He gulps and follows right after, the door closing with a soft click. The room was just as jaw-dropping as the first time, but Lance doesn’t marvel at any of that as he slowly makes his way towards the bed. 

The mountain of cushions and pillows shift under his weight as he carefully sits down on the edge of the mattress, head down and tears still running past his eyes. The Blade member moves over and without even asking takes a seat right beside him. 

“Are you all right?” 

He looks up and is surprised to find genuine concern flashing in Krolia’s eyes. 

“You’re asking  _ me _ ?” He rasps out “Shouldn’t you be asking your son that?”

“I’ll talk to Keith once I’m done speaking with you” She merely shrugs settling on a more comfortable position on his bed. Lance can’t help the jittering of his leg as she does it “Besides I know that Keith would’ve flipped you upside down if you were really a threat. If he went along then that’s on him”

“Sorry” Lance takes one of the fluffy pillows and hugs it against his chest “I don’t know why I did that. It was wrong, I’m sorry” Krolia barely brushes past his apology.

“If you’re really sorry, then answer me something” He looks up only to meet a serious glare settling over the Galra’s eyes. He doesn’t hesitate to nod “Are you doing this to get back at Keith?” 

His eyes widen.

“No!” He yells, standing from his spot as pillows flutter behind him “No, oh god no! I wouldn’t do that! There’s no way!”

His heart drums against him as the question runs around his head over and over again. The memory of Prince Silas proposing in front of everyone appears just then. He clearly sees the displeasure and pleading on Keith’s face and even then he agreed to the ceremony. The argument comes back once again and then it all stops. 

“Do you-do you really think that?” He stammers out, turning to look at Krolia. She stays silent, as if studying his expression written over his face. Lance’s knees shake underneath him. He takes in a sharp breath and blinks away the oncoming tears “Krolia, you have no right to believe me, but I’m not doing this to get back at him or anything I swear. We’re not on the best terms, but I wouldn’t do that to him” 

“Then why did you accept?” 

“Those people need help!” He cries out “And if that’s the way we can offer it-”

“Prince Silas could’ve found anyone else to participate in the Paeonia Ceremony. But you accepted right away, why?” 

“Because we already fucked up enough!” Lance heaves out, pacing around the room from one side to the other “The Nyxians lost their princess and loved ones! Prince Silas lost his sister and King Andros lost a daughter! Just because we couldn’t get here in time!” He kicks at the wall.

He emphasizes his words with each kick, pain shooting up through his clave as he continued, “If I hadn’t slouched back when the distress signal was broadcast we could’ve stopped this! And if I hadn’t fought with Keith we could’ve formed Voltron! But we didn’t!” 

He pants, holding onto the wall for support as his legs promptly give out beneath him. Something inside him breaks and he can’t help but to lean back onto the wall, chest burning alongside him. 

“It was my fault” He cries against his hands, unable to look back at Krolia “It was my fault the princess died. This is the least I can do for them” 

They both stay silent after that, and Lance can’t find it in himself to break the tension, guilt and anger eating him up. This was his fault, his and his alone. No one else had to atone for his faults and problems. 

_ Don’t mess up the mission.  _

He had already fucked it up enough. The only thing left was to pick up the pieces. 

“That wasn’t your fault Lance” 

His eyes turn up and he’s met with Krolia’s piercing stare. She’s kneels right in front of him, hands hovering over his, unsure if she should cut the distance short or let him be. She does neither and scooches forward. 

“We couldn’t have predicted how this would turn out in the end” She says, voice carefully steady as if she were calming down a stressed animal “Even if the planet had ended up in a worse shape, that blame is not yours to take” 

He slides further down the wall, eyes pulling away from hers instantly. 

“Lance, Lance please look at me” 

Biting down on his lip, he keeps his eyes trained on her clasped hands. He sees her fingers tighten once and twice before softly reaching out to him. He tenses almost immediately at her hand coming in contact with his head, softly trailing her fingers between his hair and begins to comb it. 

“I’m sorry I misjudged you” Krolia says after a beat of silence, taking in a deep breath “I made up my own conclusions and didn’t listen to Keith’s description of you” 

“What?”

The question is already past his lips and eyes widening at the revelation.

“Back when we were inside the Quantum Abyss” Krolia averts her eyes for a moment, “Keith often talked about all of you in the team. He told me that you Lance, had an incredible heart, always thinking of others before yourself.” 

Lance flushes, a mix of embarrassment and guilt rising over his face. Hot shame pierces at his heart, heavy and unforgiving against him. He looks up at Krolia and the small smile she gives him only proves his point even further.

He’s not like that, not at all.

“You’re really selfless Lance” She continues, stroking every strand of hair in his head. The image of his mother flashes in his mind and a strong urge to hug this woman before him appears “You’re doing all of this, when it’s clear you don’t want to participate at all” 

He shudders in response. 

Prince Silas promised him up and down that the Paeonia Ceremony would be something he would never forget and maybe even it would be a memory close to his heart. Lance couldn’t do anything else but to nod along with him. The thought of the two of them connected, the two of them exchanging kisses, sharing the same bed. 

He couldn’t picture any of that. 

_ I don’t want to do it.  _

That much was true, he didn’t want any part in this at all. But the guilt was too great for him to ignore. He feels the tears poking at him, edging to flow down his cheeks with every second that ticks by. They’ve already lost too much and it was because Voltron wasn’t on time. 

Having sex in exchange for that shouldn’t be this hard. 

Lance thinks back and almost cries, his arms shaking as he holds himself against the wall. 

“You can say no Lance” Krolia softy utters, her fingers careful and precise against his head “Don’t force yourself” 

Let it be him over anyone else. 

A soft knock rings across the room and carefully the door opens. Standing at the threshold there’s Hunk, a worried gaze settling over as he looks over at him. Krolia shifts away and stands from her spot. She gives him one last look before heading out of the room.

“Try talking with Keith” She walks to the door and waits “I know my son can be reckless and a bit of a hot-head. But, he’s really worried about you” Then she leaves, the door softly closing after her. 

Lance crumbles further against the floor, the tears finally spilling past his eyes. 

“Buddy?” Hunk is there, crouching right next to him “Hey calm down, it’s going to be fine, okay?” 

He doesn’t think twice as he launches himself at Hunk’s open arms. Sobs ripple out of his mouth, the gravity of the situation finally catching up to him. His best-friend slowly rocks them both back and forth, the two of them hugging on the floor. 

Lance can hardly breathe, cries coming one after the other as he buried his face even deeper against Hunk’s embrace. He holds onto his friend even tighter at the memory of Keith’s pleading face before him. 

_ It’s not, it’s not, it’s not. _

* * *

He wakes and everything’s fuzzy around him. 

Lance feels the cold sheets of the bed against his back, the pillows strewn all around the mattress as he laid right at the center. He shudders, the ghost touch of a pair of lips trailing kisses down his chest. Heaving he tries moving his head, but nothing happens as the kisses go down and down over to his hips. 

“What?” He manages to speak, his voice barely a whisper around him. He tries shifting once again, his arms slowly moving with him. He hears a laugh echoing in his head, as he turns to see the owner of those lips only to be met with a familiar sight. 

“Keith?” 

The image of the Black Paladin appears before him, the boy propped up on his elbows, nestled right between his legs. Lance tries speaking once again only to be met with a pair of wet lips against his. A whine slips past his mouth, as he eagerly answers back the messy kiss. He slings his arms around the boy’s neck, heaving and panting against him.

The memory of their fight is long gone from his mind and the only thing he can focus is those pair of lips against his skin. Lance moans against him, hips rutting against Keith’s at the small bites he was leaving down his neck. 

“Keith-h! Wh-hat-what are you doing-g?” He asks but the boy refuses to answer, his lips diving down to latch against his chest. It’s too much and too sudden, everything around him spinning and going in and out of focus. Lance whines at the touch of Keith’s tongue over by his bellybutton. 

He ruts against the bed, every movement feels sluggish and out of control, as he continues to trash against the Black Paladin’s hold. He feels Keith’s smirk against his skin just as the boy leans down and down, head right above his boxer briefs. 

“W-Wait! K-Keith, wait! No-no-no!” He yells but the warning comes on deaf ears. 

Keith swiftly yanks away the piece of clothing, settling his hands over by his tights. Lance tries pulling away from the other boy. But instead of sliding away from the edge of the bed, he’s pressed right against Keith, chests touching each other. 

Lance can’t help the small whine that leaves his lips as he sees the other boy up close, looming above him. There’s this dark and unknown feeling brewing around Keith’s eyes. Their usual indigo color lost and replaced by a vibrant purple. It’s a nebula filled with stars and planets just inside one body. 

He cradles Keith’s head between his hands and watches astonished as the usual raven locks fall away from his fingertips. It’s futile, like gripping smoke. Keith chuckles against his ears and that’s when Lance feels a touch right by the tip of his cock. 

Looking down he sees Keith’s hand and before he can open his mouth, the Black Paladin begins moving up and down. The friction is amazing and earth-shattering. So different from everything he’s ever experienced. Lance clings to the boy on top of him, moan after moan leaving his lips as the boy continues to rub his hand around his shaft. 

“Ke-Keithhhh!” 

Every sensation and touch brings forth a wave of pleasure and euphoria inside of him. He doesn’t know anything else beside him and Keith tangled up in each other’s embrace. The moment he feels the tip of his cock against the ridge of Keith’s gloves, he arches up, eyes shut to the world as he screams. 

“O-Oh! Hah God-d, Ke-eith!” He moans against the other’s skin, pants and whines leaving one after the other from his mouth. It’s too much, too soon, the pleasure inside of him scaling with each breath. He clings to Keith’s shoulders, knees shaking as the upcoming orgams inches closer and closer inside of him. 

“I-I’m gonna-” Keith ruts their hips together and the touch sends him over the edge.

Lance bucks against the mattress, everything swirling around him as the pleasure continues building. His knees buck and shake as another orgams rolls forth in his body. He can only moan one after the other, his hands seeking purchase around him. 

“Kei-Keith! Ple-please! Aaaahh, n-no more” He pants, the hand still rubbing his cock up and down, not stopping for a single second as the pressure builds over and over again. 

“Cum Lance” Keith whispers against his ear, suddenly standing right behind him. Lance arches in ecstasy against the other boy’s chest, his pale hands cradling and massaging every bit and spot over his chest.

“N-Not! Hah, not-t again!” Moans escape past his lips as Keith ignores him. Their hips rut together, one next to the other and it’s too much once again. Lance throws his head back, eyes watering as he shudders against the Black Paladin’s hold. 

  
“Cum for me Lance” Keith whispers “Be a good boy” 

Everything whites over as he peaks.

* * *

“ _ Keithhh! _ ” 

Lance snaps his eyes open and finds himself once again on his bedroom. His bedroom in the Nyxian palace. He heaves and pants, everything too hot around him, the sheets of the mattress clinging to his sweaty body. 

He looks around and finds himself alone in his room, door still locked and untouched. His heart hammers against his chest, breath catching up inside his throat as he takes in the mess of pillows over by the floor and in the bed. Lance looks down and shrieks. 

“ _Ay dios!_ _No, no, no!_ ” 

His sweatpants were definitely a mess, a big stain resting right above his crotch. Sheets were also thrown around, fluids and cum surely sticking to them as Lance shrieks once again embarrassment. He wasn’t some thirteen year old for this to surprise him, but this was a bit much! 

“ _ Me estás jodiendo! _ ” He whispers to himself and just as he tries standing up, a shiver runs through his body. Lance looks down again and no, there was no way he was getting interested again. 

_ Be a good boy  _

Another wet dream. 

Another wet dream of Keith.

“Motherfucking shit” Lance swears, head already lolling around at the memories flashing before him. Keith tossing him around like it was nothing, hand stroking his cock with no signs of stopping and their hips rutting over and over again in synchrony. It was impossible to contain that shiver trailing down his body. 

He shudders, eyes closing and panting all over again, the temperature of the room suddenly getting to him once again. Slowly he slides his hand further and further down.  _ This is such a bad fucking idea, _ he thinks as his fingers inch closer to his sweatpants. 

Without preamble he slowly settles his hand right above his crotch, his body recoiling at the touch. Lance bites down at his lips, quieting down the whines threatening to spill out. There was no way he was still this hard after that spectacle. 

Slowly he starts rocking his hand up and down a breathy moan slipping past his lips. His legs shake and heart stutters all over again against his chest. It feels like all of the pleasure that build up in his dream is still there, pent up and ready to release. 

He continues stroking, eyes closing as he buries his head in the sea of pillows underneath him, panting against his skin. Everything is too hot and sticky around him, his face surely redder than his lion. Kicking away the messy sheets, he settles on his chest, face cushioned against the mattress. 

A warning goes off in his head the minute he lets go and slips his hand under his boxer briefs. But it’s not enough for him to stop. His hand slowly wraps around his cock, a moan already slipping past his lips as he hides his face on the pillow underneath. 

Images of the wet dream appear behind his eyelids, his hand picking up the pace instantly. He shudders, thighs shaking at the memory of Keith’s face looming so close to him. He whines into the pillow, the need and urge to have the Black Paladin’s hands roaming his body being too much. 

“K-Kei-ithhhh” Lance pants and heaves, his mind clouding over and inches himself even closer to the bed. 

He wants Keith’s hands and lips all over him, taking him apart piece by piece only to be brought back together. He whines once more, his crotch already leaking a great amount of pre-cum on the bed before him. It won’t be long for his orgasm to crest over. 

Closing his eyes, he imagines Keith’s hand touching his cock. 

“A-Ah! Hah!” 

It’s too much but Lance can’t help but to quicken the pace. 

“Kei-Keithhhh! Ah!”

Moans tumble out of his mouth one after the other, voice breaking with every syllable. 

_ Cum for me Lance.  _

The memory of his name on Keith’s lips sends him over the edge. 

He moans, hot and heavy against the pillow, hips rutting against the mattress as he spills all over his hand. He keeps going and going, the thought of Keith holding him through it, shaking him to his very core. Whines leave his lips as everything becomes too much, hand still stroking his spilled cock. 

“Keith, Keith, Keith” The name slurs out of his mouth, hand slowly coming to a stop. He feels like passing out, his eyes slipping shut and drifting off between reality and a dreamless space. 

Lance lays on the bed, blinking awake only to fall once again. It could’ve been minutes or hours when he comes to once again. His heart has calmed down in his chest, everything a bit sore and clammy around him. It takes a minute for Lance to register everything before he launches himself off the bed. 

“ _ Oh my god! _ ” 

He looks down at his boxer and yep there’s even a bigger stain over them. 

“Oh my fuck, I did not just do that!” Lance yells, his hands messing up his hair over and over again “ _ I did not just do that! _ ” 

His eyes land on the bitten pillow and he immediately grabs it only to flung it underneath the bed. With shaking hands, he tears off the sheets away from the bed, rolling them over and hiding them in the closet adjacent to the room. 

“This was a mistake, this was a  _ fucking _ mistake” He swears under his breath, trying to get rid of the mental image of what he just did. 

One thing was having wet dreams about your friend and crush. 

Another different and unrelated thing was jacking off to them. 

“I’m dead” He chants over and over again. Lance paces around the room and prays to every living thing that no one heard him through those doors, cheeks already flushed “I’m so dead” And with that he sprints over to the bathroom and slams the door shut behind him. 

He turns up the bath’s faucet, water running extremely cold as he strips off his clothes. After shoving his messy boxer briefs into the trash bin, Lance steps into the shower, flinching at the onslaught of ice against his skin. Closing his eyes he starts brushing away the mess over his cock. 

Lance sighs, pushing the hair away from his eyes and blinks them open. 

The memory of their argument the night before comes back to haunt him. The hurt and guilt gnawing at his heart every time he thinks of Keith’s pleading face. He shuffles further into the chilling water, everything dulling. 

How is he supposed to face Keith now? There was no way, not after the images floating through his head. He groans, and slumps back against the bathroom’s wall. The water continues running, the chill against his skin leaving goosebumps behind. 

The image of Prince Silas comes to mind as Lance starts washing his hair. After all he and the prince will share the same bed tomorrow. He bites down the shiver going down his spine, the displeasure now evident on his face. 

It was no use avoiding that topic, considering he would lose his virginity to a mere stranger. A pretty handsome and royal stranger but even then, he couldn’t help but to sigh in disappointment. He knew that the prince would never do something he didn’t like or force himself on him, but the thought of being so intimate with someone he barely even talked to? The idea just recoiled in his mind. 

_ Maybe if my partner was Keith then- _

He almost slips down the tub if it weren’t for the silver handles over by the wall. Lance grips onto them for dear life, knees shaking. If it was from that train of thought or from the scare, he didn’t want to find out. 

“What the fuck” He whispers to himself, slowly kneeling under the shower head. The water repeatedly hit his skin, but it was nothing compared to the hurricane inside his head.  _ Where did that come from?! _ His mind screams inside of him, everything tumbling over. 

“No, no, no! There’s no way!” Lance yelps, splashing his face with water, trying to cool down once more. He can feel the blush by his cheeks, fingers shaking as he crossed his arms over his chest. The sound of the water hitting against the tiles echoes through the bathroom, his heart thundering to it’s rhythm. 

Would he really be comfortable if Keith was the one with him during the Paeonia Ceremony? 

_ Yes.  _

He groans once more, furrowing deeper into the floor, the cool touch of the tiles not calming him down at all.  _ Out of all the people in the universe, it had to be him _ Lance grimaces and hugs himself tighter. 

“As if there was someone else” He whispers, voice drowned against the shower running. 

Keith with his stupidly good looking hair; Keith with those perfect eyebrows and jawline; Keith with those rosy lips, pulling up one of the most genuine smiles from them; Keith risking his life to save countless of civilians in danger; Keith handing over Red to him, trusting him to take care of his precious lion; Keith leading them against countless enemies, never backing down. 

Keith also leaving them behind. 

Leaving  _ him _ behind. 

A knot nudges itself in his throat, the emotion welling up inside him with every tick. 

_ Of course I love him. I would be a fool if I didn’t.  _

He sits underneath the water, the droplets mixing in with his own as he swallows down the urge to cry.

* * *

It’s way past afternoon when he finally slips away from his room and escapes the palace. 

Lance tugs the cerulean blue cape tighter around him, hiding away the paladin armor hiding underneath. He didn’t want to draw more attention to himself, but at the same time he wanted to go out and explore the small city in Nyx. Though of course he couldn’t afford to leave the palace without his uniform, if some emergency were to happen, he would be toast. And thus he took one of the tapestries hanging around his room and wrapped himself up with it, escaping out of his quarters shortly after. 

At least his disguise seemed to be working so far. Not a single Nyxian had stopped him for some request or to talk with him, each one of them wrapped up in their own little conversations. He could hardly understand what they were saying, their mouths moving and chirping along and Lance wasn’t even sure that was even a dialect. 

Nonetheless he keeps walking down the road, taking in every house and building standing before him, the city looking better than the day before. It was really amazing in a way, he thinks, the Nyxians had been invaded just yesterday and houses had already been rebuilt and roads taken care of. 

Though he could easily see why. The Nyxians were already preparing everything for the Paeonia Ceremony, and down the illuminated path he could see the road ended up just at the bottom of the stairs for the Nox Temple. Blue and purple flowers of all sizes and colors decorated every crevice in the road, houses flowing out a sweet aroma surrounding the whole city and small circle lamps were already being made for the next day. 

He had a feeling that King Andros was right after all. 

The Paeonia Ceremony was really an important event for them. 

Lance gulps and keeps walking, his hands trembling under the cape as he avoids the route leading down to the temple. 

His feet drag him all around the city, everything more jaw dropping than before. Beautiful archways and vintage facades decorated each and every building surrounding the city. Street lamps lead all the way around, emitting a glowing blue and purple soft light all around them, vines and flowers wrapped up all over their base. 

Lance had seen a lot of planets and cities in his lifetime, but surely Nyx was one of the most beautiful ones. 

He continues walking, stepping and jumping on each cobblestone as he went, imitating a few Nyxian children a few meters ahead of him. Giggles slip past his mouth as he kept doing it, ignoring the people all around as the soft pink sky above them starts to darken. 

“Lance?” 

He turns and just like that he trips and falls on his face. 

“That really fucking hurt” He whines against the asphalt, already pulling on his knees and massaging his nose. Lance looks up and grimaces. Of course it had to be Keith the one who found him right?

“Hey” The man in question stops right in front of him, clad in his usual red armor and kneels to his eye’s level. Lance leans a bit away, snapping his gaze on the cobblestones beneath his feet “You okay?” 

“That depends on what you mean by okay” He sniffles, still massaging his nose over and over again. Hopefully he hadn’t broken anything, otherwise he would’ve been spilling blood like a faucet “Is my nose still attached to my face?” 

“It’s fine” Keith deadpans, but a hesitant smile is already pulling at his lips “You do have a small trail of blood” 

“Oh no! No, no, no!” Lance immediately tilts his head back, looking up at the pink dark sky and oh he can feel the trail of blood flowing down his nose.  _ Bad, bad, bad _ he chants over and over in his head.

“Idiot!” 

Before he can even respond, Keith is already encircling his back with his left arm, forcing him to lean forward. With his other hand he carefully cradles Lance’s face to tilt up and then proceeds to pinch the small bridge of his nose. 

“The blood would’ve rushed down your throat if you continued on like that” Keith’s lips are very close to him and something drops inside Lance’s stomach. They’re very close and he hopes his thundering heart is only audible to his ears “You have a tissue on you?” 

“U-Uh wait” He stammers, already taking hold of his cape. Lance grimaces already dreading staining such a beautiful cloth with his blood, but presses it against his nose and blows. Keith keeps still next to him, massaging small circles over his back. 

Lance gulps and looks down to his cape and sure enough there’s a big splotch of blood. He sticks his tongue out, already disgusted at the sight. He feels another trail of blood running down and he waits no time to blow his nose against the cerulean cloth. 

“Ughhhhhh I hate this” His voice is muffled against the cape, annoyance high and clear as he blows his nose once again. He can hear Keith’s chuckles right next to him and something warm wraps him up all around. 

“Idiot”

And there’s that soft and fondle tone in Keith’s voice. 

He turns away from the cloth and focuses on the Black Paladin kneeling next to him. Noses inches apart and barely a breath away from each other. Lance could easily close that gap between them if he wanted to. And god he really wants to. 

Keith’s indigo eyes snap down to him. 

_ Cum for me Lance _

Heat erupts all over his face, steam practically boiling out of his ears at the memory of everything.  _ And he’s holding me! _ He shrieks internally, hands frozen beside him as he looks away from the boy. 

_ Please don’t get a boner, please don’t get a boner, please don’t- _

“Are you really okay?” Keith’s voice is laced with concern, question hanging between them. Before his mouth could properly work, the Black Paladin leans forward once more, their foreheads touching each other. Lance is sure he’s red from head to toe as Keith comes even closer “You’re really hot.”

“W-Wha-at?!” He shrieks, trying to pull away from the boy beside him, but he’s insistent and Lance is weak. Their foreheads stay connected, neither pulling away from the other. 

He wants nothing more than to circle his arms around Keith’s frame, pulling him close and feel his heart against his. Wants to know if he’s as nervous as him. He craves nothing more than to be connected to him all the time. 

But there’s that lingering hurt appearing again. 

That voice taunting him over and over again. 

_ He left. _

_ What makes you think he won’t leave again?  _

_ He’ll leave you.  _

His wishes and doubts clash against each other and Lance can feel the hot anger from yesterday pouring once more. He wishes he could kick and scream at Keith for leaving the team behind. For leaving him all alone with a broken promise. But there’s this thing that keeps reminding him over and over that it made sense. 

It all made sense. 

But Lance can’t understand it.

His mother always told him that resentment always got the best of him. And while Lance prided himself in being a good friend, he couldn’t help but to agree with her. 

“Lance?” 

His gaze meets Keith’s and he can feel his face grow hotter by the second.

“You’re really burning up” The Black Paladin mutters under his breath, worry evident on every crevice of his face “We should head back to the palace, let Coran check up on you”

“I-I’m fine Keith” Lance stutters, gently trying to push Keith away while combusting all over. He can feel the tremble over by his fingers, breath stuttering with each heartbeat “I’m really f-fine. Don’t worry” 

“How can you tell me not to worry with everything that’s going on?” Keith relents, eyes boring straight into his. It’s a hurricane of emotions so big that Lance can’t even comprehend a single thing over those indigo eyes. The Black Paladin sighs against him, something weighing him down entirely “With everything that happened yesterday...”

_ He’s really worried about you _

Krolia’s words ring through his mind over and over like a broken record. Lance knows they shouldn’t be having this conversation in the middle of the road, Nyxians strolling around and sending them weird looks, but there’s also a need to clear the air. He’s still hesitant about some things and topics (dreams are a no-no in this conversation) but he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if this continued. 

“R-Right” He sighs against Keith, and finally they part away from each other. Lance misses the proximity instantly but keeps his feelings shut “I’m sorry about yesterday. I shouldn’t have snapped at you or - w-well tried to punch you too”

“It’s okay” Keith sighs and takes a seat on the asphalt. Lance goes along with him, the pain from his nose already dulling, surely leaving behind some bruise “I’m sorry as well for how I acted, I-I was frustrated. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you” 

A pregnant silence sits between them, gaze stuck on each other. Lance has so much he needs to say, that he needs Keith to hear, but the words can’t get past his lips. And he can feel the Black Paladin struggle as well, fists clenching and releasing in the same breath, eyes roaming all around his face. 

With each minute and breath, Lance feels like breaking all over again. 

“I’m sorry” Keith starts, words rushing out in one sweep “I’m sorry for leaving” 

Everything collapses. 

Lance thinks his heart will splinter in two, shattering against his ribcage and taking everything down with it. He grips onto his blue cape, knuckles growing numb with each tick. 

“I didn’t-I never thought it would affect you that much” 

_ You dumb, senseless, stupid, mullet-brain, idiot! _

“At the time I thought it would be better for everyone” Keith starts and Lance is already shaking his head.  _ Never in a million years would you leaving would be the best for everyone, never, never, never _ “I didn’t consider-”

“Keith don’t” He breathes out in a rush “You don’t have to apologize at all. You came back. You came back to us and that’s what is important. I shouldn’t have-”

“Let me finish” The Black Paladin insists, eyes stuck on his “I wanted- I want to apologize to you for leaving. If I knew how much it troubled you I never would’ve have left in the first place. I-” A groan leaves his lips and Lance has never seen Keith look so frustrated before in his life. 

Lance instantly reaches out and cradles the boy’s face between his hands, wanting nothing more than to ease all of his worries. Keith melts at the touch, leaning further into his hands. 

“Lance” A jolt of electricity runs down his spine, every hair on edge at his name leaving Keith’s lips “Lance I don’t want you to-”

“Oh my Nyx!” 

They both snap their eyes away from each other and look up. A couple of Nyxians are looking right at them, huge smiles plastered on their faces, some even taking out their devices to snap the equivalent of photos. An older woman was standing closer to them, hiding her blinding smile under her hands.

“Sorry, sorry! We didn’t mean to interrupt, please do continue!” The woman says and everyone nods along, cheers and wolf whistles echoing across the street. Lance feels his cheeks heat up in a second, squeaking as he instantly lets go of Keith. This seems to displease everyone as they groan out loud and then the woman steps up “Oh no! No, no, no darling we would love to see the participants of the Paeonia Ceremony this close to one another!” 

“What?!” His face turns a thousand times hotter. 

“Oh yes, the traditions of course dictate that the townspeople shouldn’t see the lovers until the day of the ceremony but bah! That’s old news!” The Nyxian laughs, eyes full of adoration and excitement. Lance wasn’t sure he shared the same sentiment “You two have so much chemistry!” 

“I-We-” He stutters over his words, mouth snapping and closing in a matter of seconds. Lance can’t bear to look back at Keith, wanting to avoid the man all together after this embarrassing moment. 

_ Be a good boy. _

Memories of his own dreams flood once again and Lance jumps away from his friend, cape flopping all around him. 

“W-We’re no-t participating!” He shrieks, too hot all of the sudden with the cloth wrapped around his body. Lance is barely able to stand on his own wobbly legs, still averting his eyes away from Keith’s.

“You’re not?” The woman tilts her head to the right “But the king announced that the paladins would be involved?” 

“I-I mean, I a-am!” Admitting it out loud sends another wave of nerves and heat through him “I-I am participating. But-t! My partner it’s-it’s not him!”

He swears there’s this sound of displeasure coming from the crowd of aliens, some even looking dejected at the declaration. With that a few citizens went on their ways, the Nyxians leaving the scene one after the other. 

The older woman looks a bit puzzled, her brow furrowing as she turns to look at Keith then back at him then back to the Black Paladin again. She doesn’t say anything else, a curious gleam in her eye shining through as she joins the rest of the Nyxians. Everyone walks away, the street practically empty all together now and honestly Lance feels hot all over. 

He peeks a look at Keith and immediately pulls back. 

There’s this cute red blush taking over the Black Paladin’s face, gaze stuck on the asphalt of the street and it’s so endearing and embarrassing at the same time. The thought of them doing the ceremony together fills him with heat once more, but there’s some lingering want residing as well. 

_ If my partner was Keith? _

The question enters his mind again and he risks looking back at his friend once more. Their eyes meet and Lance’s legs feel like jelly. The two of them are red from head to toe but there’s this unmatched intensity in Keith’s eyes that melts him. 

Determination flares up behind those indigo eyes and he feels the edge of those wet dreams teasing him again and again. 

“Lance” 

He can’t even distinguish if that tone was something taken out of his wildest fantasies or reality was just playing a cruel joke on him. Keith doesn’t stray his gaze away from him in the least. One second they’re looking at each other and the next, the Black Paladin is lowering his gaze, eyes slowly roaming down and down-

_ He’s checking me out?  _

Something combusts inside as those eyes leave nothing to surprise.

“Keith! I-What! Stop!” 

Lance hugs the cape tighter against his body, voice trembling all around his words. Keith doesn’t seem to mind as he slowly stands and moves right in front of him. He gulps as each step echoes through the street, heart thundering against his chest with every stuttering gasp. 

The Black Paladin stops all together when their bodies are inches apart from the other. Lance is forced to look up, the inch he had over his friend long gone and this is only a reminder of it. Keith is already looking back at him, something unreadable etched on his face. 

“Lance” It sends a shiver down his spine and he really hopes his cape can at least hide the small tent growing over his flight suit “Do you really want to do the ceremony?” 

He shrinks away at the question, taking a small step back only prompting Keith to take one forward. 

“I promised the king I would do it” Lance mutters under his breath, shuddering at the closeness between the two fo them “I promised Prince Silas-”   
  


“I don’t care about that” Keith replies, his eyes pleading and begging for something Lance doesn’t understand at all “Yesterday you said you wouldn’t do it, and I can’t help to think that you’re forcing yourself. Do  _ you _ want to do it?” 

He gapes, the answer already on the tip of his tongue but he can’t get the words out. Not while the Black Paladin is looking at him with such intensity. 

_ I want to- _

“Paladin Lance?” 

Prince’s Silas voice snaps them both out of their trance. Lance takes a few steps back as he turns. A few meters away from them, stands the Nyxian Prince flanked by a group of royal guards. The prince stands tall and proud something akin to curiosity settling over his face as he looks at them both. 

“Are you all right?” The prince steps forward, his guards letting him pass without preamble “You look quite troubled”

“He’s fine” Keith growls, and wow if he didn’t know better, Lance would think that his friend was- 

“I believe I asked my fellow companion if he was all right” The royal doesn’t deter for a moment, something akin to amusement reaching his eyes “Though I appreciate knowing of your well being as well Black Paladin” 

“P-Prince Silas” Lance nudges himself between the two of them “I-I’m fine. Just a bit anxious and light headed” 

“Oh you must be quite troubled with the upcoming event tomorrow” The prince comments with a worried look, “I’m sorry for imposing and taking so much of your time” 

“I-It’s nothing, don’t worry about it”

Keith scoffs next to him and Lance gives him a little nudge in response. The royal eyes them both for a moment before smiling once again. 

“I actually came here looking for you. I visited your quarters but you were nowhere in sight, so the town was my next guess” He feels another blush coming over his face, avoiding Keith’s inquisitive gaze all-together “I was wondering if you would like to accompany me for dinner tonight?” 

“D-Dinner?” He stutters, heart flipping over his chest. He feels his blush increase, a warm and fuzzy feeling enveloping him all together.  _ He wants to take me out on a date? _ The question roams around his head over and over “I-I am flattered Prince Silas, but-”

“We need to go over some tactics with the rest of Team Voltron” Keith interjects, hands balled into fists on his sides “They’re critical for the rest of our journey back to Earth” 

“Of course I understand” Prince Silas continues to smile “Though I’ll hardly take too much of Paladin Lance’s time” 

“We can’t take any chances” Keith fires back.

_ What the fuck? _

Lance gulps beside the two of them, eyes shifting back and forth from one person to the other, an incredible dread settling on his chest. He was hardly keeping up anymore, frown deepening as tried to butt inside the conversation.

“I can have him back before midnight” Silas continues “I’m sure you can discuss your plans after” 

“We can take up to five hours with making up a plan. I’m not sure we’ll have enough time” Keith arguments, scowl clear as day on his face “Besides I need my second in command to discuss them with me after the meeting”

“He needs to rest you know, tomorrow is the Paeonia Ceremony and I don’t want-”

“I could care less-”

“Okay!” Lance pushes the two of them apart, tension high and mighty between them. He can feel the anger seeping off of Keith like molten lava, scorching and all too consuming. On the contrary, Prince Silas remains stoic, pleasant smile still plastered on his lips as he turns to Lance “I think I should get to decide about my plans” 

“Lance-” He ignores Keith’s call and continues. 

“I’m sorry Prince Silas but we do need to go over strategy meetings later tonight, we’ve been pushing them back because of the ceremony and they do take up a lot of time” Lance shrugs but not before adding “But I’m sure and hour or two won’t harm anyone” 

He can feel Keith’s stare piercing his heart right away, something snapping between the two as the Nyxian prince chuckles, a lovely blue blush overtaking his face. 

“Say no more Paladin Lance” A couple of guards step towards the two of them and before Lance could even blink, the prince is taking his hand in his. A small squeak leaves his mouth as the prince drops another small lingering kiss over his palm “I’ll be sure to escort you to your quarters before the moon rises tonight” 

Lance can hardly nod, being pulled away by the prince to who knows where. His heart is kicking up and he hopes his hand isn’t as sweaty as he thinks it is. 

“Lance”   
  


He turns, stopping in his tracks, and looks back at Keith. 

The Black Paladin remains stoic, arms crossed over his chest and eyes solely focusing on him. It’s intense and heavy. So many words and sentences wanting to be voiced, exchanged between the two. But neither one of them willing enough to do it. 

Lance might pull away to go back. 

“Be careful” Keith adds with a hint of a smile. His frown deepens, heart lurching in his throat as he tries to regain his footing once again.  _ That’s it? _ His mind replies and he can hardly look back at his friend. Lance turns once more to the prince and without another word he’s being pulled away. 

Away from that bustling street. 

Away from Keith.

* * *

He really dreads the moment he wakes up, groggy and head thundering with thought after thought spilling inside his mind. Lance groans deeper into the comforter, scrunching his eyes and tugging the pillows closer to his body. 

Today was the day.

Today was the day he would get dicked down by an alien prince. 

An alien prince he barely knew.

“No” He whines into the sheets “No, no, no” 

Last night Prince Silas took him on a small tour inside the palace, visiting every room and garden the building had to offer. It was astounding really, nothing compared to the Castle of Lions, that’s for sure. And as much as Lance was amazed, he couldn’t ease his worries away in the least. 

Sure, Prince Silas was a gentleman through and through, opening the doors for him, talkative and never judging, inviting him to a wonderful dinner and escorting him to his quarters just before midnight like he promised. Honestly it was everything he ever imagined. 

Well not everything. 

He was nice, maybe even more than nice, but it didn’t send his heart into override. 

Not in the least.

Whenever the prince offered a grand gesture his mind would drift off to a certain mullet-haired paladin. And god, he wanted to stop it. Put his feelings on hold or maybe get rid of them all together, but Keith’s dejected look last night lingered time and time again. 

Lance groans once more, turning and turning in his bed, but sleep clearly not greeting him again. 

“Please no” 

There’s a loud bang at his door and immediately people are rushing in. Voices and screams mesh together and before he can even sit up, Lance’s being dragged out of his bed. Everything spins as sturdy arms wrap themselves around his frame, carrying him away from his quarters. 

“Wait, wait, wait!” Hunk’s voice filters through the room “You can’t just take him!” 

“Hey! Give him back!” Pidge’s screams vibrated from one side of the room to the other as servants fill the room and practically tear apart everything. Lance blinks his eyes over and over, not recognizing neither of the aliens carrying him.

What the quiznak was going on?

“It’s part of the ritual paladins!” One of the aliens tries to argue, slightly pushing away Pidge’s tiny frame. Lance can hardly see anything as he’s being dragged out of his room, mind still reeling in after waking up “It’s the first phase of the ceremony” 

“Bullshit!” Pidge roars and maybe if he had more energy he would’ve scolded her for it “Hunk go get Keith,  _ he’ll rescue Lance! _ ”   
  


“He’s not here!” The yellow paladin whines “I haven’t seen him since last night!”

_ Wait. _

Lance tries fighting off the guards, but they keep a steady hold on him, finally managing to drag him out of the longue and into the maze of hallways inside the castle. 

_ Keith’s missing?  _

His mind reels in with possibilities, but the only thing he can come up is the dejected look he gave him just the day before. He feels his heart thunder, writhing away as he slumps further into the hold of the alien servants as they continue walking further down the halls. He sees doors passing by, one after the other as they all blur together. 

Lance snaps back when he’s floating on air and crashes right into hot scalding water. 

“ _ Que carajos! _ ” He shrieks, his skin practically red from the touch. He’s soaked from head to toe, water dripping out from his hair and pajamas. Lance’s protest is cut off as a sweet honey like aroma filters through the air, the water soon turning to a warm and generous embrace. Slowly he lowers further down the immense pool around him. Flowers and petals are floating on the surface, tickling his skin with their touch. 

“We apologize Paladin Lance” One of the servants steps forward, hands clasped together “In the ceremony as out first ritual we must separate the two candidates and bathe them in the nectar of the golden fruit” He tries not to squint at the water finally noticing the small dots of gold clinging to his body. 

“Oh” Another petal swims by next to him “And it’s not poisonous or anything?”   
  


“Nonsense my dear paladin” The servant offers him a smile “We’ve been using this water for centuries. It helps your mind and body to relax, bathing it in soothing scents for the ceremony and eases any worries that might plague your mind” 

Lance can only nod along, really feeling the loose ends of his body relax against the water. Without thinking much about it, he discards the wet pajamas, enjoying the contact of the flowers against his naked body. He smiles a bit, taking a small flower between his hands. 

“Paladin Lance, would you be kind enough to drink this?” Another maid approaches him, her hands holding over a sparkling glass cup of tea. He swims towards the edge, the alien dropping to her knees to hand him over the drink. 

He cranes closer to the cup, his eyes squinting at the liquid sitting on the cup. It’s almost transparent, green and yellow mixing together as purple shining specs twirled over the surface. It certainly didn’t look appetizing at all.

“I won’t die if I drink this right?” The maid laughs at the question. 

“It’s an antidote. It will ease you during the ceremony” She smiles, but he’s still pretty unconvinced “I could drink a bit if you’d like, but it is essential that you do it before continuing on with the rituals” 

“No” He waves his hand in the air “No, no, it’s fine” Lance carefully takes the cup in his hand and without second guessing he drinks all of the liquid in one swoop. 

The tea is pretty bland, a taste of mint and ginger settling over his tongue as the servants usher him out of the pool. Lance goes in wordlessly, pulling towels against his body to exit the glittering water. 

The rest of the morning passes by in a blur. 

Lance is being ushered to one side of the palace to the other, a horde of servants rushing beside him, feeding and dressing him from head to toe. He feels a bit pampered to be honest, they pretty much complete every whim he has and always put his comfort first before anything else. 

It’s a pretty good deal considering what he’s about to be doing in an hour or so. 

The sun is starting to set, Nyx slowly enveloping in a soft orange and yellow glow and Lance feels his nerves skyrocket. From the entrance of the palace, he can hardly make out the temple, swarms and swarms of people standing around the street. He presses his hands together, the prayers of the Nyxians falling on deaf ears as they go along. 

He groans to himself, the golden bands over by his wrists and shoulders slightly making him wince. Golden chains connect over by his neck and arms, shimmering against the sunlight along with his arms. Soft specks of gold and purple dance across his skin, the remains of the bath from the morning still clinging to his skin. 

A bright blue silk top hugs his chest, gems and precious stones adorning the hem of the cloth. The golden hoops by his forearms are attached along with a shimmering blue organza that end up by his wrists. Loose dark blue pants settle across his hips, his chest shivering against the metal over by his hips, all of this along with a pair of dark loafers at his feet. 

Not to mention the make-up and earrings he’s wearing.

He wonders if he should feel enchanted by the outfit or mortified for what’s to come.

“May the goddess Nyx bless this land” One of the priests declares high and mighty across the street. 

“May the goddess Nyx bless this land!” Everyone cheers along, claps and excited shouts fill the air. Lance grips his hands tighter, looking around for any signs of his friends, but receives none. 

_ What now? _ His mind supplies. 

“Now Paladin Lance if you will” The same priest takes a step forward, extending out his hand towards him “May you bless this land and let the last ritual commence before the ceremony!” More cheers and shrieks fill the city, lights and fireflies dancing all around the place. Lance gulps, trying to contain his nerves as best as he could and slowly starts walking forward. 

The Nyxians erupt in cheers, fireworks exploding in the sky as he continues to walk further away from the castle and going closer and closer to the temple. He feels completely exposed, too much attention focused on him as he continues down the path of the street. Lance tries giving out warm smiles, waving at the children standing around but his fingers are shaking beside him. 

He feels he might throw up any second now. 

With each step that he takes he’s inching closer and closer to the temple, it’s silhouette becoming clearer. He hugs himself tighter, ignoring the slight shiver going down his spine as his feet walk forward. His eyes turn from one side to the other, trying, searching for any signs of his friends but there is none, not a single one of them. 

_ Breathe in and out, in and out _ , he repeats like a mantra as he keeps walking, trying not to worry about his friends or his own fate. The sun is slowly setting, a purple hue taking over the sky as the lamps slowly lit up the entire street. But it brings him nothing more than dread. 

“Lance!” 

He snaps his eyes up, instantly recognizing Allura’s call from somewhere.

“Allura?”

“Lance!” That’s Pidge now. 

“Lance over here!” 

He turns from one side to the other and finally, finally sees his team all huddled together right next to the stairs leading up to the temple. Lance really doesn’t think twice and runs straight for them, make-up and customs be damned. 

“Lance!” 

“Hunk!” Lance instantly throws himself to Hunk, hugging the life out of his best-friend. The Yellow Paladin squishes him back, the contact bringing a sense of comfort to him “I think I’m going to be sick” 

“It’s just the nerves my boy!” Coran pipes up from somewhere in their small group “Nothing to be afraid, it’s just one night” 

“Coran not helping” Shiro dryly comments as Lance detaches himself away from Hunk. Sniffles escape from his mouth and he has to take a deep breath once more to calm down. Everyone is huddled in together; Romelle next to Allura, Coran standing between Hunk and Shiro, Pidge being the closest to him and Krolia hovering outside the small circle. 

_ But where’s- _

“Where’s Keith?” The question leaves his mouth unintentionally and nervous. He tries turning away, eyes quickly scanning the crowd around them, but the boy is nowhere present. The question bounces again and again in his mind, eyes still searching for that familiar mop of black hair, for that jagging scar-

_ Where is he? _

“He’s uh-” Shiro coughs from his spot, taking a few steps towards him “He’s-”

“He’s dealing with some stuff” Krolia pipes up, the tiniest hint of a smile over her lips and honestly it only makes him twice as nervous. Lance can hardly think, instantly going back to that dejected look.  _ He hates me, he must hate me.  _

“Some stuff?” Lance can hardly hear his own voice, the words tumbling out of his mouth. 

“ _ But he’s fine! _ He’s totally fine buddy! No need to worry about him!” Hunk pipes up, pulling his eyes away from Krolia and towards the towering temple standing in front of them. He’s really going to throw up now. 

“I-I don’t think-”

“Lance” Shiro doesn’t wait for a response before pulling him in a hug. Lance doesn’t wait to return the hug just as fiercely, barely able to hold on. He feels the roar of cheers and claps and doubts start piling up one after the other, this decision looking far from being the right one. 

The Shiro slightly pulls away, their eyes meeting each other. 

  
“Everything’s going to be fine” His voice is steady, head-strong and so sure, leaving no room for any doubt to budge in. Lance can almost believe his words “Everything will be fine, but you can say no. Remember that Lance, you can say no” 

Lance is nodding along, eyes glazed over as the cheers rise higher, the sun setting in the distance. He reluctantly pulls away from the embrace, hands tingling with the contact. He takes in a deep breath and walks towards the temple. 

His legs shake with every step he takes towards the temple. The stairs stretch high and mighty above him, everything enveloped in a soft orange and pink. He can still hear the prayers as he keeps going, the unknown chanting drilling in his head over and over again. 

His heart thunders, every beat echoing against his chest. It synchronizes with every step he takes, drawing closer and closer to the temple. He’s too high up, the wind chilling against his naked back. Shivers run down his body, fingers shaking as the temple draws near. He’s tempted to look back down, the voices and chants quieting down as he continues with his trek, but his eyes are glued to the structure in front of him. 

_ Everything’s going to be fine  _

Shiro’s voice repeats over and over again, willing himself to believe those words as his feet continue dragging him onward. Lance steels himself as he climbs up the last step and finds himself standing right at one of the temple’s entrances. 

The Nox temple is one of the most beautiful and intimidating buildings he’s ever seen. Rows and rows of columns surround the whole temple, statues of the goddess carved in the walls. Glittering silk drapes down from one column to the next, giving the building a soft purple glow to it, flowers of all kinds blossoming around the concrete. 

Lance turns and sees the city of Nyx right below. He can hardly distinguish his friends from where he’s standing but he can make out the kingdoms lanterns and festivities going on. There’s a faint sound of violins and cellos mixing together down below. He can still make out people marching down the street, reciting every prayer and poem as a ritual of the Paeonia Ceremony. 

“Everything’s going to be fine” He whispers under his breath, his mind reeling back in at the memory of the ceremony. He turns around and focuses on the dark entrance. Darkness awaits him and inside the temple Prince Silas is there. 

He tries to force away the nerves that plague him in that very instant. 

Prince Silas won’t force him into anything, won’t ask anything he wouldn’t want. Lance knows this and even though he drills it into his skull, there’s this dread that always follow behind. The thought of the prince kissing him all across his skin, stripping him away from all of his clothes and bindings, showering with compliments-

_ Not him _

Is the only thought his mind can muster. 

Lance blinks away tears, furiously wiping at his eyes and gulping down the knot at his throat.  _ I have to do it, _ his mind thinks,  _ There’s no going back.  _

Fear grips at his heart as he continues onward, the entrance coming closer and closer to him. He stops just at the edge of the threshold before taking in a deep breath and taking another step inside. 

Darkness greets him immediately as he steps inside the temple. Lance hugs himself closer, his legs taking him further and further into the building. He can see small lines of light shining through in the center and he follows them without question. Soon enough his hands find purchase in the form of long and soft cloths draped right in front of him. He grips at them and carefully pulls them back, light finally meeting him. 

Lance blinks, his eyes barely adjusting to the scene laid out before him as he steps into the center of the building. Tapestries of all colors and sizes drape over and over each other by the walls, covering every single inch of the temple’s center. The long cloths of silk decorating the exterior of the temple come and meet at the open ceiling of the room, the fabric glistening in the moonlight and bathing the round center with a soft purple. 

He’s in awe, his feet moving on their own as he walks further into the room. He looks up and sure enough the moon is shining just above the building, unknown constellations decorating every ink of that vast night’s sky and his breath is stolen in that single moment. 

_ Wow _ is all he can think of. 

If it weren’t for the situation he was in, Lance would surely appreciate the scenery more. 

“This people really go all out for this kind of stuff” He mutters under his breath, eyes snapping away from the ceiling and come face to face with the bed resting by the center. 

A second drags by and he’s flushed from head to toe in just a second. 

“Oh my god” The sight of the bed leaves him tingling with sensation, knees shaking as he walks further inside. Sure enough there’s an enormous bed resting by the center, expensive covers and pillows carefully placed to form some sort of nest around the mattress. There’s flowers petals thrown all around the room’s floor, all of them coming up to meet at the top of the bed and he can’t even think straight. 

_ This is really happening. _

Just as he keeps walking something else catches his eye and sees a small pond of glistening water sitting a few meters away from the bed. Petals rest over the surface, specks of glitter adorning the water and even from here Lance can recognize the same series of bottles like the one back in his room.

_ It’s a bath-tub _ his mind replies,  _ it’s a bath-tub for when you’re- _

“ _ Oh my god! _ ” He shrieks again, feet slipping around the tapestries thrown over by the floor and falling right on his butt.

He really was an utter fool. 

“It’s not going to be fine Shiro” Lance grumbles under his breath, quickly crawling over to the bed “The aliens want me to get fucked silly until I can’t walk for the next month” 

Slowly he stands once again and finds balance against the soft bed resting by the center. His fingers grip at the soft blue and purple covers resting over by the mattress, even from afar he knew that it would be comfy as hell to rest against such fabric. He reaches out and carefully hugs one of the pillows against his chest, already melting into the softness of it. 

If he’s about to get dicked down by a stranger at least he’s going to take it in the comfiest bed in all of the galaxy. 

Lance places the pillow over by the bed’s surface, a terrible idea springing up on his mind. His nerves are jittering and impulsive, he needs something to do. He breathes in and out, something pounding against him and Lance needs it to calm down. 

He glances around the room once more, Prince Silas nowhere to be found and that settles it. Breathing in and out once, he takes a few steps back away from the bed. And just like that he dashes right for it, jumping right on top of the mattress. 

His whole body flies the moment his back touches the bed. Shrieks pour out of his mouth as he’s sent a few feet in the air and then once more as he hits the mattress again. He still feels like a jittery mess, his mind wandering on and on towards the upcoming events but at the moment he could care less about that. 

Lance settles on the bed, just as he stops bouncing, laughter and giggles escaping past his lips. Maybe if he’s still nervous he would ask Prince Silas to jump with him on the bed to quench his trembling. 

_ He would think I’m crazy _ .

Sighing he takes one of the pillows against his chest, body curling around it and just trying to relax. Disappointment and guilt coil around his chest, already dreading the moment Prince Silas walks through the entrance and greets him. 

_ You can do this, _ he says,  _ you can do it _

The rustling of fabric snaps him out of his trance as he sits up instantly. He can feel his heart pounding over and over by his ears, blood rushing all around, small shivers racking through his skin. Just then, soft footsteps ring around the room and panic settles in.

_ I can’t do this. _

He scrambles against the bed, pillows flying after him as he tries standing up. His knees buckle and he almost stumbles right onto the floor once again. _ Get a grip McClain!  _ He straightens up, breath stuttering as the footsteps draw closer. 

Lance is a 100% sure he looks like a fish out of the water, hair a candid mess thanks to all of that jumping and walking to one side of the other. He can feel the blue top slipping past his shoulders, the glitter over his skin surely long gone and the make up over his eyes a bit smudged. He curses inwardly just as the tapestries shift. 

_ I can’t do it. _

The fabric moves against the darkness and just when Lance expected to see a pale blue hand, he sees a perfectly human one. 

_ Wait. _

Everything comes to a halt as the figure steps closer into the light. 

_ What? _

Lean and tall body, long raven locks and a pair of intense indigo eyes finding him in the midst of the room- 

“Lance” 

_ Oh my god.  _

Keith steps further inside the temple and his mind is still reeling in. 

“Keith?” His voice can hardly come out, brain still processing and breath stuttering on each syllable “W-What-What are you doing here?” 

The Black Paladin doesn’t respond, mouth agape and eyes glazed over, stuck solely on him. Lance could say the same at seeing the boy standing there. Not only that but he’s clad in a fairly similar outfit like his.

Keith was wearing a pair of loose pants like he was, golden and red embroidery stitched by the hems and clad in a pair of gold sandals; He had a silk blue sash nestled by his hips and as shirt he was wearing what seemed to be a one-shoulder red wine top, decorated with a golden shoulder pad over it, the other arm simply decorated with a golden hoop by his bicep. 

Steam was surely rolling out of his body with each breath he took as Keith stepped closer and closer. His dark raven locks flowed nicely behind his back, framing his face and bringing out the intensity of his eyes. As the boy comes closer, Lance could surely smell a scent of ebony and mint, but his confusion still lingers. 

“You didn’t answer m-me” He insists, voice barely forming sentences “What are you doing here?” 

The Black Paladin falters, almost as if the question finally stuck in his mind. He blinks for a moment, mouth opening and closing. Lance never thought he would be this impatient but the wait is killing him. 

“I-I offered myself up” Keith stutters, avoiding his own inquisitive gaze. His mind can’t work, thoughts messing up together and jumping from one side to the other. 

“You-” He can’t get his voice to work “Y-You what?”

“I offered myself” The boy repeats, words growing more confident with each second that slipped by “I took the prince’s place in the ceremony”

_ What?  _

Lance’s eyes widen, mouth wide open as he continues to stare at his friend. It feels like an enormous wave crashes right over him, lighting running straight through his heart and burning everything left. And yet he can’t seem to find words. 

_ I took the prince’s place in the ceremony. _

Keith took Prince’s Silas place.

_ So Prince Silas is not coming. _

His eyes meet Keith’s and everything clicks into place. 

Keith offered himself.

_ So that means- _

“ _ Oh my god! _ ” He shrieks, back colliding on the bed behind him. Lance yelps, almost tripping down the floor at the excess of fabric. He sees Keith’s hand reach for him and he flinches at the proximity, scrambling up on the bed. Swiftly he takes a pillow in hand and turns to the Black Paladin “You’re not Keith! Nuh-uh! Who are you?!” 

“Lance” Not-Keith glares at him, annoyance seeping through his eyes. 

“No! You’re not Keith! There’s no way my Keith would do something like this!” Lance flings the pillow right at the boy’s face as he swiftly ducks away. 

“ _ Your Keith? _ ” He can feel his cheeks burn at the implication. 

“That’s-that’s not what I meant!” Fake-Keith takes another step towards him and Lance throws another pillow at his face. 

He scrambles further in the bed, the silky clothes slipping from his body and the pillows falling to the floor. The Black Paladin groans in frustration and promptly crawls in the bed. Lance shrieks, throwing pillow after pillow to the man in front of him.

“Agh! Lance! Stop it!” He ignores the man’s cries and keeps flinging items at his face. Not-Keith takes one of the pillows and swings it back at him. Lance yells two pillows colliding with each other. 

“Don’t come any closer!” He cries “I won’t hesitate to use this!”

“Jesus fuck. _ Lance! _ ” 

Giggles burst out of his mouth as the two of them swing pillows at each other. He shrieks as one of them hits him right on the cheek, Keith finally laughing as well as the pillow hits him in the face. The two of them continue to laugh at each other, pillows and sheets flying across the room. 

Lance feels like he’s floating, giddy and high on happiness. He sees an easy smile adorning Keith’s lips and even with everything going on he can’t help that erratic heartbeat. He simply forgets what they’re doing at the moment, what they’re about to do, and feels everything at once around him. 

Out of nowhere Keith scrambles further inside the bed and grips at his ankles. Lance yelps as the boy drags him across the mattress, until the Black Paladin looms above him. A hot blush spreads over his face, skin burning at the contact. 

“Do you believe me now?” Keith whispers, voice intoxicating and sweet like velvet. Lance can melt against it, relishing in the warm feeling spreading across his chest. 

“I’m-I’m not sure” He stammers. Slowly he lifts his hands and carefully traces the boy’s scar on his cheek. His fingers lazily traces the small mark, adorning the soft pale skin against his. He tries to breathe and it feels like too much already “Why-why are you really here Keith?” 

The Black Paladin softens, pulling his face even closer to his calloused hand. 

“I couldn’t let you do this” Keith sighs, tension falling from his shoulders in a single swoop “I wouldn’t be able to live with myself letting you do something like this when you clearly didn’t want to” 

“Keith-”

“You were forcing yourself to do this” The Black Paladin interrupts, shaking his head as the words spill from his mouth “I couldn’t bear the thought of you lying with someone else.” 

Lance stills under him, eyes wide and mouth stuttering. His hand shakes, carefully pulling away from the man. Keith takes hold of it with his own, carelessly intertwining their fingers together. 

“Not while I could do something about it” 

Those words send him over the edge, a rush of heat scorching his skin from the inside and out. Lance is so far out, that the words can barely register inside his mind, everything numb and exploding at the same time. It’s maddening and he doesn’t know if he wants to stop or keep going. 

“You’re-you are-e here...” He can hardly get the words past his lips, eyes watering at Keith’s implications “...because o-of me?” 

“Only because it’s you” Indigo eyes stare right back at him, not a single ounce of hesitation or regret laced in his voice “Only with you Lance”

It’s everything he ever wanted and more.

“But-but the mission-?” His voice stammers out, anxiety still aflame and going strong. 

“Fuck the mission” Keith says and that throws him in for a loop.  _ What? _ Is the only word his mind can suffice, eyes widening and mouth already opening up in protest “I could care less about the mission right now Lance. Not when you were forced to do something like this” 

“Keith I- I don’t-”

His words drift away just as the Black Paladin slowly caresses his cheek. Though instead of quieting down, things only got weirder. An immense wave of heat crashed over him, legs and arms slightly shaking from the crescing pressure. And just before he even noticed it a loud moan ripped out of his mouth. 

Everything stills and-

_ What the fuck. _

_ That did not just happen _ , Lance thinks face heating up in a matter of seconds,  _ I didn’t just-  _

He feels the heat craving once more, pushing and pushing inside his body and everything’s shaking around him. It’s suffocating as the pleasure continues to build up over and over again. Another moan rocks his body and really what the fuck-

“K-Keith-h” He pants, breaths coming out in puffs. 

“Lance?” Keith gulps, a very noticeable blush darkening his cheeks and god this was so embarrassing. So, so, so embarrassing. His face is up in flames, hands shakings by his sides as he tries to grip his friend’s hands with his own. 

The Black Paladin carefully brushes his fingers against his cheek and Lance practically has to bite down another moan. Small whimpers escape his mouth, breath hot and heavy between them and it’s so damn hot. His clothes cling to his body, the bed too suffocating now and his eyes are stuck on Keith. 

“Too-o hot-t,” He pants, heart stuttering over and over “It’s-hah-it’s too hot-t” 

“What-t?” Keith sounds unsure, eyes darting around the room before turning once again to him. That same red blush is present on his face, eyes hot and heavy locked onto his body “Lance are you okay? Talk to me” 

“I don’t know-w” He whimpers, body closing in on itself. He feels dizzy and a mess over the sheets, pleasure cresting inside of him like a furnace. Everything swims around him and the only anchor he can find is Keith’s worried eyes “It’s too much-h, I-I don’t know” 

Another moan slips between his words and god he’s already hard and dripping in his pants. He wants to cry. Out of shame or pleasure he doesn’t know, but it’s all too overwhelming. What is a disease? Did he get infected somehow with a horny virus or something? 

_ It will ease you during the ceremony _

The  _ fucking _ tea. 

“Oh Go-od” Lance crumbles deep into the bed, arms shaking beside him. 

“W-What?” Keith gulps, slowly retracting away from him. The moment he tries to leave, Lance latches onto him, fingers quickly grabbing his own arms. He burns at the contact, pleasure building even further, but if the Black Paladin parts away from him, he’s going to lose it. 

“Th-hey,” Breath puffing out and words barely getting across he continues “They gave me-e some weird tea-hah- back at the-hah” 

“And you drank it?!” The shout rings over the room “Lance they probably drugged you!” 

“It was-ah, part of the ritual!” He tries saying back, but he’s too weak, limbs shaking too much from the pleasure. Keith’s eyes are clouded with worry and concern, carefully pulling his hands back away from his own. Lance only wants to touch him, be skin against skin. Nothing else, nothing more. 

_ No _ , he rethinks,  _ I want way more.  _

With a burst of clarity (and horniness) Lance quickly bucks up into the Black Paladin, throwing his shaking arms around his neck and pulling him down. Keith’s shout is dissolved in the air as they crash together against the mattress. 

It’s too much and Lance is about to burst. He can’t stop himself, whines and whimpers parting out of his mouth as he buries further into Keith’s arms. The clothes and golden earrings feel uncomfortable and cold to the touch and he wants to just toss them far away. 

“Keith” He pants, the name brokenly whispered between the two of them. The boy on top of him stills, eyes wide and mouth parting. _ Touch me _ , his mind pleads like a broken record,  _ please please touch me _ “Keith-h, it’s too much” 

“Lance-e” Keith whispering his own name makes his skin tingle, steam rolling off in waves in the room. He whimpers, everything coming on deaf ears as he slightly buckles up into the air. He pulls the Black Paladin chest to chest against him, the slick of his crotch slightly grazing the man’s chest and that alone is enough to send him buckling. 

He bites down another moan, embarrassment flooding his very being from head to toe. But his body isn’t responding to his wishes, arms still clinging to Keith’s neck and panting against his neck. His dick is hard, leaking pre-cum all over his pants like a horny teen but Lance is way too gone to even comprehend it. 

“Keith, Keith, Keith” He mumbles against their skin, hips slightly swaying up and down as the passion grows within him. His hands are shaking, eyes blurring and dizzy with pleasure as he keeps holding onto the Black Paladin. 

_ Please _ , he pleads,  _ please want me too.  _

He yelps in surprise as Keith fully lowers himself on top of him and grinds his hips down. The touch is scalding and intoxicating at the same time as the Black Paladin continues with his ministrations. Lance can barely form thoughts, his mind mixing and crashing against everything he ever knew. It’s too much.

“Keith!” Lance shouts, holding onto dear life as the pleasure crests over and he’s spilling inside his pants. His heart is throbbing, pants punched out of his chest with every minute that ticks by. Lance is still moaning, riding out the last remnants of his orgasm as he clutches Keith’s shoulders. He can barely breathe. 

Everything is coming in and out of focus as he tumbles back onto the bed, pillows and covers thrown around. He feels slight tremors running down his legs, heart still drumming against his chest as he tries to regain his breath. Lance closes his eyes, before looking back at Keith. 

Keith who is still very much on top of him. 

Keith who is clearly very hard. 

Keith who is still sane and-

“I-I-I-” The words are stuck on his mouth, tongue not working and everything meshing together. Embarrassment floods him from head to toe, wanting nothing more than to pull away from their contact “ _ Oh my god! _ I-I’m so sorry!” 

He tries pulling away, shimmering away from the bed, his legs trying to crawl away from that place, until Keith’s hands latch onto his wrists. Lance whimpers, trying to fight and scurry away from the Black Paladin but the hold tightens. His legs kick under him, but that’s promptly cut off as the boy sits just right on top of his tights. 

Lance feels his crotch getting interested once again, the heat intensifying in just a matter of minutes, and no there’s no way he’s doing this again-

“Keith, Keith please let me go” He whines, syllables lost to the wind as the hold continues. He tries squirming away, panting and sweat clinging to his clothes. It’s too hot, too hot and just like that the Black Paladin presses forward “Keith I’m gonna-!”

“What do you want from me?” 

Blinking, he turns to Keith, mouth agape and caught in between a moan. 

“You need to tell me Lance” Keith pleads, begs, brows scrunched up in a frown as he looks down at him. His face is red, blushing all the way from his cheeks down to his neck, black hair sticking with sweat at the ends. Lance can feel the arousal waking up at the sight “I need to know if this is the drug acting up or if it’s you. I need to know” 

He can barely form words, mouth opening up and closing over and over again. The heat is starting up again, prickling at his skin and scorching him from the inside. It’s hot and heavy, little pants leaving past his lips and god he wants to take off his clothes now. 

Lance gulps, still trying to take a breath but with Keith’s searching eyes on him, he doubts he can do much. He blinks away the tears swelling up in his eyes, mind reeling in from everything up until that point and memories flashing past him. 

He knows what he wants. He’s known ever since he agreed to the ceremony. And maybe even before that. 

Knows what’s really true.

“You-u” The syllables get caught on his tongue, a small shiver running down his body as those indigo eyes turn to him. Lance breathes in once again, praying and hoping this just doesn’t go sideways “I want you” 

It’s like a ripple in the water. 

Keith’s eyes widen, his hold over Lance slowly breaking away. He takes this opportunity to slip his hands out the Black Paladin’s grip and gently cup his face between them. Lance knows what he wants, but he also knows he’s not going to push this any further. 

“I’ve always wanted you Keith,” He confesses, heart galloping along with his stutters “I’ve wanted you long before you knew. But I’ve never thought-”

“You want me?” 

The words sound so broken and damaged that Lance can’t help the slight churn of his heart. Their eyes connect and he can see the longing, the yearning, the hurt etched deep inside Keith’s beautiful eyes. 

_ Always _ , he thinks as he carefully threads his fingers over soft silky black threads,  _ Always wanted you. _

“Yes” Lance has to bite down a sob as the words tumble one after the other “Yes, Keith. Always, always wanted you” 

He takes a breath and right at the next moment, Keith is surging down and meeting him in a hot searing kiss. 

Their lips touch and Lance feels like he might cum all over again. It’s electrifying, leaving him dizzy all together and without breath. His eyes slip shut and throws his arms around Keith’s neck, pulling them closer and closer. 

It’s nothing like he imagined before. Keith kisses with passion, fire and a fierce determination that leaves him weak in the knees. He’s melting him from the inside out, taking him apart piece by piece and molding him back together. Lance moans against the kiss, mouth opening up without a second thought as Keith pushes in further. 

“Fuck-k” Keith curses above him between breaths “Fuck Lance”

Lance keeps one hand tangled in the man’s hair while the other he carefully slides it down his back. Shivers and tremors rak down Keith’s spine, each brush of fingers making him groan into their kiss. He wants nothing more than to strip him out of that outfit. 

“Tak-ke it off” He whines into the kiss, slightly pushing back to breathe “Keith I-I want you” 

“And you’ll have me” 

Keith parts away with a pop, practically tearing the shirt away to the floor. Lance lets out a small whine, his own fingers trembling as he tries taking his golden trinkets away. The jewelry clinks against each other, chains and chains being stripped away from him. 

The moment he manages to get off the last piece of gold, he strips away from his own top, hair disheveled and up in a mane. He feels the glitter stuck on his skin, sparkling against the pale moonlight and the moment a small breeze reaches him, Lance feels completely exposed. 

He looks up and Keith’s eyes are stuck on him, entranced and completely enamoured. Lance feels a blush creep all the way from his shoulders to his face, as he scrambles to cover himself up with anything at hand. 

“No, no, no” Gentle and careful hands hold his wrists and he melts against them “Let me” 

It’s getting harder and harder to breathe, his heart beating at his throat as he settles against the bed once more. Lance lowers his arms once again, fingers slightly trembling as he lets go of the covers. 

Soft and calloused hands slowly touch down his stomach and shivers immediately run down his spine. Keith gulps above him, face flushed and brows knitted together as he lowers himself once again. Carefully he slides his hands up and down his sides and Lance whimpers at the touch. 

“You’re so beautiful” Down and down Keith murmurs and then softly kisses down his chest “So, so beautiful Lance” 

Tears well up in his eyes at the words. Never, never he dared to imagine, something like this might happen. He’s too overwhelmed, too dizzy with pleasure and too in love to comprehend anything else besides this. 

Keith trails kisses up and up from his chest, lips meeting his skin in tender, loving kisses. Lance pants against the sheets, hands tangling in that sweet raven black hair. A sudden moan rips out from his throat as Keith kisses down one of his nipples, slightly grazing it with his teeth. 

Indigo eyes look up at him and before he can even ask, he feels that wonderful tongue taking him apart once more. 

“Keithhh!” He cries out, as the boy sucks harder and harder onto the bud, quickly massaging the other one with his free hand. Lance moans and trashes against the bed, pulling at Keith’s hair as he feels his cock harden against his pants. 

“You’re so sensitive” Keith whispers, taking his other nipple into his mouth and sending Lance into a frenzy once more “So responsive” 

“And-ah whose-e fault is that-hah?” He tries saying between moans. Lance carefully parts his thighs open and pulls Keith closer against him, chest against chest as their crotches accidentally rub against each other. He can’t help the loud moan at the motion, feeling his cock already dripping pre-cum. 

“Y-Yours” The Black Paladin groans, grinding their hips down once more making them moan over and over again. 

Lance is dizzy with pleasure, as his legs circle around Keith’s waist to pull the two of them together. The friction between their pants is too much and he feels on the edge of another orgasm, everything coming in and out of focus. 

_ I want more _ , he whines into a desperate kiss shared between the two  _ God I want him.  _

“Kei-ah! Keeeeith!” His voice is broken, tampering off into moans and cries. His legs are already trembling, anticipating that rush once more.  _ No, no, no _ he chants in his head “W-Wait! Hah! Kei-Keith!”

“La-ah-nce” Keith is insatiable, rubbing his cheeks all over his chest “Lance, Lance, Lance!” 

“Wait-t, please wait-” Lance whines, carefully pulling away “Keith wait please-e”

Keith props up on his elbows, hovering over him and slowly he inches away from him. The two of them are panting, breaths mingling with each other as their hearts drum away in the emptiness of the temple. Lance can hardly catch his breath, his crotch still leaking, hot and bothered but finally his mind clears. 

“Keith” He gets on shaky knees and crawls over to the boy. The Black Paladin instantly takes him in his arms, pulling them chest to chest against each other. Lance buries himself in the crook of the boy’s neck, relishing in the same erratic heartbeat as his. 

The two of them stay in silence, their breaths echoing across the room as they continue to calm down. 

“Sorry” Keith mumbles against his neck, pressing up a long languid kiss to his throat “Sorry I should’ve pulled away when you-” 

“No, no, no” Lance gently pries away and turns to cradle the boy’s face in his hands. The Black Paladin is flushed, cheeks tingling a ruby red and hair sticking everywhere. He can’t hold back the small giggle escaping his lips “You didn’t do anything I didn’t want to” 

With precise fingers, he slowly traces the edge of the boy’s scar going down and down and drawing circles over his back. Keith plants another kiss to his temple, eyes dark and heavy, filled with an indescribable desire. 

“I-I felt that I was-uh-” Lance coughs against his throat, carefully pulling back from their embrace. The Black Paladin watches him go, intertwining their hands together before being too far away from each other. He can hardly bite back his smile “I-I wanted to um-to- _ well you know! _ ” 

“Words Lance” Amusement drips out of Keith’s voice as he carefully gives his hand a small squeeze “I need to know what you want from me” 

“I want everything” His words rush out in a breath, heart drumming away “Everything you want to give me” 

Keith stays silent, eyes stuck on him and he feels stripped to the very core. Carefully, the Black Paladin stands from his spot on the bed and moves towards him, settling once again between his legs. Lance lets him, giving their hands another soft squeeze. 

“I want to give you everything” Lance feels like crying at the words “I want to give you my everything Lance. That and so much more” 

He sniffles, brushing away the stray tears gathering up at the corners of his eyes. 

“You want me too?” His voice breaks at the question, not wanting to believe that fact for a single moment. But here, with Keith willing to give him everything he can wonder “You-”

“I love you” 

_ Love- _

Lance looks up, instantly locking onto wonderful and loving indigo eyes and feels his tears flow down. It’s like a flood taking over, waves crashing against everything and leaving no survivors. His heart beats and beats and beats, the blood rushing to his ears and still he’s deaf to everything but Keith’s breaths against him. 

“You-” He chokes on his words, sobs peeking through his voice “-You love me?” 

“ _ Yes _ ” There’s not an ounce of doubt or hesitation lingering in his voice. That certainty makes his knees buckle, another sob slipping past. Keith lightly chuckles and slowly lowers himself to his knees, eyes meeting each other. 

He’s being pulled in with everything he has. A love so strong and devote that makes his own stomach flutter. 

_ I love him.  _

“I love you Lance” Keith smiles, his free hand coming up and softly wiping away his tears with the tip of his fingers “I love you so much” 

Lance doesn’t think twice and throws himself at the Black Paladin’s arms. He drowns out Keith’s shout of surprise with a kiss. Their lips crash against each other, teeth bumping at the force of the kiss, before the two of them melt. Keith groans into the kiss, and without a second doubt he pulls the two of them back into the bed. 

“I love you too” He whines into the kiss, wanting, needing to be connected to each other “I love you Keith. With everything I-hah-have” 

Keith’s only response is to pull him back into a hot searing kiss. 

Their lips meet each other again and again, neither wanting to stay away from the other. Lance clings for dear life at the boy’s shoulders, his legs parting even further to draw him closer. The need and desire for the two of them to stay connected is undescribable and soon enough he finds himself panting against the kiss. 

He whines into their mouths, body hot and hands shaking as he traces the lines over Keith’s back like a broken record. The man on top growls into the kiss, trailing his hands up and down his legs. He feels the tentative touch of his fingers, inching further and further, gripping at the waist line of his loose pants. 

Lance pushes away from the kiss, breaths coming out in small puffs and relishing in the dark blush overtaking Keith’s face. 

“I-I-” The Black Paladin stutters “-I’m sorry is that-”

“W-Wait” He shakes, fingers stuttering as he carefully pushes his own pants down and down, leaving himself completely bare in front of Keith. Embarrassment still clings to his body, eyes wandering anywhere else on the room. But he wants this, wants this more than anything. 

_ I want all of you and everything you can give me.  _

“I-It’s more than okay Keith” He whispers between the two, discarding the pants somewhere along the room with the rest of his clothes. A small breeze rushes in and he feels nothing compared to when Keith finally touches his skin. 

He shudders at the touch, careful and calloused fingers run down his thigh and Lance feels he’s going to just cum from that attention alone. 

“You’re so beautiful Lance” Keith mumbles, inching closer against the two of them, pressing up a small kiss against his jaw before pulling back once more. Lance wants to tug him back down, press the two of them together and never part away from the other. 

He must’ve looked quite desperate because in response Keith chuckles once more and drops a small kiss just above his belly-button. The Black Paladin rises once more and carefully tugs his own pants down. 

Lance stiffles a moan at the sight, his eyes taking in every single patch of pale skin Keith is presenting him with. Scars and bruises line up across his whole body and Lance wants nothing more than to kiss them away better. Though that doesn’t stop his eyes from trailing down.

_ Jesús, María y José- _

The sight of Keith’s dick is something so unreal and euphoric that Lance feels it everywhere in his body. No amount of wet dreams or thoughts could do it any justice.  _ The perks of being half-alien _ , he thinks. 

“T-Take me” He moans against the sheets, a set of giggles escaping his own mouth at Keith’s shocked expression, “P-put it in me Galra boy. Split me in half!” 

“Lance what the hell?” Keith chuckles as well, eyes full of mirth and amusement as he crowds closer towards him. Lance pushes himself further into the bed, slowly crawling away from Keith with a teasing smile. 

The Black Paladin catches his plan immediately. 

“Oh no, you’re not getting away from me again” He smirks, stepping into the bed and quickly caging him between his arms and chest. Lance giggles against his skin, throwing his arms around Keith’s neck as he inches closer and closer, their chests touching. Underneath all of that skin he feels the constant throb of two fluttering hearts. 

It warms him like nothing else, knowing Keith feels just as nervous as he is. 

The heat and the need to be touched is still lingering, throbbing over his chest and with the proximity between the two it’s only growing and growing. He feels a slight tremor running down his spine, his dick twitching in anticipation for what’s to come. 

And just like that, the tea starts making wonders once again. 

Lance feels a rush of slick gushing out of his ass in a second, making him shudder in surprise. He furrows against the covers, breaths coming out in little puffs as his eyes go heavy. Keith blinks in surprise, hands hovering around his face.

“It’s-s acting up-p again” He whines in a low voice, tugging Keith closer against him with his arms. The Black Paladin stills and carefully lowers down and down, until he’s fully supporting himself on top of him. He moans at the touch, crotch twitching and hardening in mere seconds. 

“L-Lance” Keith grunts against his ear, hips slightly rolling upwards. The friction against his skin feels amazing and Lance feels like cumming over and over again “You-you have to tell me where do want me to stop” 

“Don’t you dare!” He whimpers, moving his body up and down along with the Black Paladin. They both moan at the touches, hips rutting faster and faster as their pleasure builds.  _ Inside me, inside me please _ , he repeats like a mantra. 

“If-f you say things like that-hah!” Lance whines in disappointment as the friction is lost, Keith pulling away and in turn nearing his ass “I-I won’t be able to hold back”

His face is flushed red, bangs sticking down to his forehead as he gropes his thighs and settles himself between them. His heart jumps in excitement, dick doused in pre-cum at the sight as Lance moans once again. 

“Don’t-don’t hold back” He pants and with shaky fingers takes his own length in his hands. Another whine slips by at the touch, his dick pouring more and more liquid as the pleasure builds inside his body “Please Keith, please” 

“Only if you’re sure” The Black Paladin insists, his eyes hazy and full of desire at the sight of him “I need to hear you say it” 

“I’m sure, I’ve never been more sure of anything” Lance says, holding back his own pleasure as his heart swells in affection for the man in front of him “I love you” 

Keith wastes no time to get in action. He instantly swats his own hand away from his dick, Lance whining in displeasure, but keeps still. Tremors run down all the way from his hands down to his legs, length twitching in disappointment. 

“Keep still” The Black Paladin whispers against his skin, carefully taking Lance’s legs and spreading them further apart. It’s embarrassing and all too exposing to be presented like this but his mind doesn’t register any of it, hands itching to bring Keith closer. 

Dropping a kiss over his chest once more, Keith lowers down, hands settling over his round bare ass. It’s mesmerizing the effect this man has on him, his hole twitching at the bare presence of a touch. 

“We need lube” Keith murmurs against him and before he’s pulling away Lance holds him back. 

“I-I don’t think so” 

“Just because you’re horny doesn’t mean it’s not going to hurt Lance” The other man grumbles, already trying to pull away but he doesn’t relent his hold. 

“I-I know that! It’s just-just-” Lance stammers against the words, slowly pulling his hand away from Keith. His own fingers shake and carefully, he spreads his ass open, and yep he was definitely right. Slick was pouring out by the second, the liquid just like oil and without preamble he pressed in a finger to himself. 

It went in without resistance, his rim adjusting to the size just as quickly. Lance moaned, every sensation amplified to a ten fold at the touch of the oil.  _ Maybe I should’ve taken more of that tea _ , he thinks, moaning once again as he fingers himself open. 

“Se-e ah! We-e don’t need lube, hah” 

Before he could do anything else, Keith surges up once more and flips him on his belly. Lance bounces a bit over the mattress, his ass completely exposed in this position.  _ Oh my god _ , he thinks,  _ he’s going to-  _

Rough hands pull his hips up and Lance moans in response, knees bending over the bed. He feels that same rush of breeze pass by and soon enough he feels the tingling breath of Keith’s mouth over by his rim. He twitches in anticipation. 

_ Do it, do it, please Keith- _

“You’re going to make me cum just by staring Lance” Keith mumbles against his ass cheeks, hands slightly parting them away. More slick rushes out of his hole as the man drops a series of kisses in each one “So perfect, so beautiful” 

“Keei-th, K-Keith” He stammers, voice breaking off as the pleasure builds “ple-Aah!” 

He feels the wet muscle push past his rim and Lance is gone. 

A scream rips out of his throat, fists clenching over the sheets. Keith keeps his hands settled over his ass, tongue thrusting further and further inside. He’s taking him apart piece by piece, exploring inch by inch. Lance moans, hips barely rutting against the air. 

It’s so good and euphoric that he can’t feel anything else at the moment. Every single thought and worry is flung out of his mind replaced by Keith’s image alone. The name is stuck like a mantra over his lips, whispering it over the bed and over and over again as the desire to be connected only grows stronger. 

His knees tremble, moan after moan escaping his mouth as he lies there and takes it. Keith is relentless even in bed, making him shake and writhe under him. 

“So goo-d! Aah! So good K-Keith!” He shakes, toes curling against the mattress and hands holding on against the sheets. 

His dick is twitching even harder, more pre-cum flowing out of his tip. He needs just a touch, a single touch to be flung over the edge, but he wills it down. Keith presses himself more and more against his hole, eating him out with such fervor that it’s making him dizzy. 

It’s too much, it’s too much too soon and he’s on a frenzy. 

“I’m-m gonna-ah!” Lance cries, hips buckling forward, but Keith drags him back down prolonging the pleasure even further. He screams, tearing at the sheets “I’m gonna cum! Kei-ith! I’m- _ I’m gonna cum! _ ” 

He feels the ghost of a touch just in the right spot and it sends sparks all the way from his body.  _ There, there, there _ his mind chants. Keith picks up on it and pushes further and more forcefully. 

“ _ K-Keithhh! _ ”

Lance writhes against the sheets, overflowing with pleasure as he spurts down on the sheets. Stray tears overflow past his eyes, legs trembling as he chases down his orgasm, cum shooting out of his dick in thick white ropes. 

His limbs tingle, fingers still tense against the covers as Keith slowly pulls away from his ass. His rim flutters at the emptiness and throbs around nothing. Lance can’t help the whimper escaping from his mouth, knees finally giving out. Muscular arms catch his hips before he’s down in the mattress and slowly pick him up. 

Lance goes wordlessly, legs settling around Keith’s waist as he rests down on his lap. His mind is dizzy with pleasure, eyes hazy and unfocused as slowly he comes back to. The Black Paladin is flushed, hair sticking to his forehead and arms wrapping tightly around his frame. Lance sighs, pressing himself closer, throwing his arms around his shoulders. Keith shudders against him, hardened cock barely brushing past his ass. 

_ Give it to me _ , he dazedly thinks as his dick starts hardening once more,  _ make me yours.  _

Lance doesn’t ask for any sign and pulls Keith down for a kiss, smiling against the moan the man lets out. He tastes the oil against their mouths, everything mixing together and hands roaming over their bodies. A mix of oil and glitter is running down his thigh and legs, making everything more and more slippery. He stifles his laughter into the kiss, leaning down and down until his back is against the covers once more, Keith hovering above him. 

“C’mon Keith” He slurs, hands roaming down the man’s back, tracing every single jarred scar and muscle lines with his fingers. Keith shakes over him, the tip of his cock just hovering over his rim. Lance moans once more “Make me yours” 

“L-Lancee, hah!” The Black Paladin groans, before surging down and peppering his face with fervent kisses “I can’t hold back any longer” 

“Don’t-t hold ba-ah-ck on me” Keith latches onto his neck, sucking against his throat and tongue roaming against that same patch of skin. He moans again, voice hoarse and tears gathering over his eyes once more “Let go Keith” 

The man takes the words to heart and drops another languid kiss to his lips before parting away. Lance feels his heart stutter, eyes barely open and aware of his surroundings. Slowly he feels the tip of Keith’s finger touching around his hole. His rim flutters at the touch, slick still pouring out as another whine escapes his mouth. 

Gently he feels the finger prod at this hole before surging forward. There’s no resistance or displeasure as Keith’s finger goes all the way down inside of him to his knuckle. He trembles against the covers, soft gasps leaving his lips at the new feeling. 

“Put-t ah! Put ano- _ oh god _ -ther one!” 

Keith barely nods, mouth agape and cheeks rosy with heat. Suddenly there’s another finger entering him and Lance moans at the feeling. His hole stretches without much prodding, shaping accordingly to the fingers inside. It’s slippery and so so good and he can feel his dick harden just at that touch alone. 

He’s no stranger to being stretched, but knowing that Keith is the one doing it makes it a thousand times better. The man takes his time, fingers touching and grazing every single part inside of him, so so gently and softly that he wants to melt. There’s a sudden rush running over his body and Lance throws his head back with a cry. 

“Found it-t” The Black Paladin growls and becomes relentless against that spot. Lance shakes and cries, legs locking up against the man and tugging him closer and closer. His mind comes in and out of focus, the touch just amazing and already picking up the pleasure “Gonna-ah make you feel so good” 

“Kei-ith! Another, hah, aaah-nother!” 

Another kiss against his lips as a third fingers enters his hole, more oil pouring and staining the sheets underneath them. Lance could care less, moans being swallowed up by Keith as their mouths connect over and over again. 

The touch over his prostate slowly dies down, Keith’s fingers focusing on stretching him wide and open. Bare touches and graces flicker over that same spot and Lance feels like dying on the inside, chest spasming and legs trembling. 

“Don’t-t tease” He pants, breath stuttering as another touch loses it’s mark. 

Keith smirks against the next kiss, continuing with his small ministrations and leaving Lance gasping against the sheets. He tries to push away, but the Black Paladin crowds closer, their chests heaving over the other and hearts drumming the night away. Another touch and Lance cries out. 

“K-Keith! Ah, stop it!” He swats the snickering man away from his face. 

“Sorry, sorry” Keith apologizes but Lance can hardly believe anything with amusement dripping off his face.The two of them settle back down once again, small smiles playing at their lips. Lance drags the other one down again, prepping kisses all over his cheeks and forehead “Lanceeee” 

“Don’t linger then!” He giggles, cut off by a moan at a particular hard touch coming from Keith. Lance pants, blinking before his mouth settles on a pout “That wasn’t nice” 

“Yeah well I don’t want to play nice” And oh wow was that such a turn on. He feels the blood rush to his cheeks before Keith’s fingers slow down and softly leave his hole. Lance whines at the loss, more slick pushing past the moment the intrusion is gone. 

“Hey, no, no, come back” Keith’s face crumbles in an instant and Lance barely hears a curse before rough hands and pulling him closer and closer. He gulps and once again feels the tip of the man’s dick barely gracing his rim. 

His chest summersaults the moment he feels the tip entering him. A soft gasp leaves his lips as Keith slowly goes inside him, the man moaning against him. The moment he goes all the way, Lance really feels the bulge in his hole, quiet moans escaping his lips. 

Keith is no better, his face is scrunched up and twisted in pleasure, mouth panting and breath hitching at the barest of touches between the two of them. The two of them share the small quiet moment, the feeling akin to something amazing and indescribable. 

_ I love him _ , his mind replays the moment over and over again, not a single dream or thought could compare to this moment in existence,  _ I love him so much.  _

“L-Laahnce” Keith moans above him and then hips stutter a little bit, pulling back before pushing right back in. The two of them moan once again, heat building up between them “Aah! Lan-ce!” 

“K-Keith, oh my god-d” He pulls the man right back to him, hips slowly driving inside of him. Every touch, every breath feels like he’s breaking apart. Lance whimpers at a particular hard thrust, hands scrambling around Keith’s neck as he buries his face against his chest. Another moan rings across the room as the Black Paladin quickens his thrusts with each second that ticks by. 

He graces Keith’s back, nails draggin up and down his pale skin, surely leaving behind red lines splaying across his skin. The man growls and that only fuels him even more and more. His legs tug him even closer, hugging around his waist and trembling in response to each pounding. 

Lance writhes against the bed, each thrust going faster and harder against his body. Slick pours out of his hole at every push and pull, his own skin glistening with oil as he hangs onto Keith for dear life. The moment Keith’s dick brushes against his prostate, he wails against the man, legs trembling and dick spurting out more and more pre-cum. 

Keith heaves against him, arms and legs caging him in, leaving Lance writhing and moaning underneath him. Tears stream down his face, each thrust at his prostate leaving him breathless and crying out. His voice is hoarse and broken, stuck on a single thought over and over again. 

“Keei- _ ah! _ -th! So good! It-t feels so good!” 

“Gonna make me-hah- _ make me cum! _ ” Keith moans on top of him, hips driving wildly into him and making him cry out in ecstasy. Oil and sweat cling to their bodies like a second skin, glitter shining against the moonlight as their fluid come and mix together. 

The Black Paladin surges down, and instantly connects their mouths into a heated kiss. Lance eagerly responds, one of his hands splayed across the man’s back and the other messily tangling over those gorgeous black locks. They part, a string of saliva connecting the two and then Keith is kissing down his neck. 

He pants and cries, tears streaming down his face at each pounding, the slight shake of the mattress stringing him to the word. His dick sits hard and heavy against their chest, Lance’s hands itching to scramble down and just finish himself off. But this feeling is so intoxicating, so addicting.

He wants to cum just like this. 

Cum with Keith. 

Teeth grace at his neck and without a warning, Keith bites down. 

The pain is nothing compared to the pleasure surging up in his body at the touch. He’s screaming his voice away, moaning and pressing himself even closer and closer to Keith, as if they could melt against each other. His hole tightens around and he feels the man tremble and twitch above him. 

“Oh f-fuck” He pants against his neck, toungue sucking against the bite “You’re perfect, hah! So perfect, so bea-ah-utiful! Soo tight-t around my cock Lance” 

“Uuuh! You’re so good!” Another twitch from his insides “Fuu-uh-cking me so goo-od Keith!” 

“Yea-ah?” 

Lance can barely nod, arms around the man’s shoulders and legs locking behind his back. His eyes well up with tears, soft sniffles escaping his mouth as the pace slows down for a moment. He whines in protest, rim fluttering against Keith’s dick.

The Black Paladin hisses, face scrunched up in pleasure and before Lance can protest even further, he slides back. 

“ _ No! _ N-No, Keith!” He whines against the sheets, body taunt and extremities locking around the other man. His mind can hardly catch up, the pleasure building up inside him almost at the peak “Don’t-t go! Plea-ah, Keith!” 

“Hey, hey” Keith shushes him, a soft smile playing at his lips, eyes still hazy and roaming all across his body in one fell swoop “I’m not going anywhere” 

And with that he pushes back inside, the force of that laguind thrust vibrating everything inside of him. Lance gasps, mouth agape and eyes blown wide, trying to orbit back down to himself. 

“I’m just love-ah seeing you like this” Keith pants, each word punctuated with a deep thrust.

His pace is slow, taking his time in breaking him apart piece by piece. Lance feels that pleasure everywhere in his body, toes curling against his back and hands tugging the two of them closer together. 

“Lov-hah-e seeing you fall-ah!-apart around me!” The Black Paladin mounts him, tugging at his legs before slowly rising them up and up until they rest over his shoulders. Lance shudders at the position muscle stretching and slick with glitter and oil. He screams at the next thrust “Love-ah every-thing about you!” 

The position is different and so good. Lance feels Keith’s dick hitting his prostate on every single thrust, pushing deeper and harder at every pump of hips. He can hardly move, back arching and hands scrambling against the sheets with every movement. Keith hovers above him, legs locked around his shoulders, trembling non-stop. 

Overwhelmed screams bounce around the temple, cries and moans of the two echoing through the room. Lance can hardly keep his eyes open, body twisting in pleasure at each touch coming from Keith. His cock is bouncing up and down from the rhythm, itching to spill out his contents. But he wills down his orgasm, wanting nothing more than to feel that drag of Keith over and over again. 

“Don’t-Ah! Do-ohn’t stop! Uhh!” His words are slurring together, barely tangible above the constant slapping of their hips. The ferocity increases and Lance screams “Yes, yes, yes- _ Keith! _ ” 

“Say my name” Keith pants, closing the space between the two closer and closer. Lance feels the stretch of his legs, the burn of his thighs at the position, but he doesn’t want to stop. Once Keith is within range, he practically throws his arms around him, body folding in half. Keith moans between the two, hands sliding down and down and grabbing his ass “Sa-ahy my name La-hah-nce! Keep  _ ah! Keep saying it Lance _ ” 

“Keith, uuuhhn-Keith, Kei- _ ah! _ ” 

His cries turn into sobs at the merciless pace Keith is thrusting into him. Lance shudders, legs trembling and nails biting down on that beautiful pale skin as he feels his orgasm creep closer and closer. He can’t hold off much longer and he doubts Keith can. 

“Uh! Uhhhng, Keith! I’m gonna- _ Oh! Keith! _ ” His tongue can barely form words, voice tampering off into screams and cries with every hard push against his prostate. He’s lighting up from the inside, thoughts slurring together and nothing exists other than him and Keith. 

“Mine, hah! Say you’re mine Lance!” His hips are driving wildly into Lance now, pace maddening as the mattress ricochets against the floor. He can hardly moan, mouth agape and eyes shut in pleasure. But he wants to see, see Keith above him, wild and fraying against him. 

With a breath of air, Lance blinks his eyes open, mouth heaving between each moan and settles on Keith’s face on top of him. The man is looking back down at him, eyes scrunched up in pleasure, so much desire and need pouring into each look. Pale flushed cheeks and dark locks cling to his forehead as he drives forward. Another moan is ripped out from his very being. 

“I’m uuuh! uh! I’m-yours!” He holds on, orgasm finally building and building against his will “Only-ah _yours!_ Kei-th, Keith- _Ah!_ _Keithhhhhh!_ ” 

“Lance, La-ah-nce, hah! _ Lance! _ ” 

Everything crashes down against him, his orgasm ripping out from under and sweeping him right off his feet. His back arches towards Keith, hands locked tight around his chest and legs trembling with each spurt of cum escaping him. 

Keith moans softly against his ear, a warmth flooding all of his insides and hips humping out his own orgasm. Lance shudders, overwhelmed cries pushing past his lips at the last thrusts to his prostate. He feels weightless, tears slowly drying on his cheeks as he melts against the soft covers. 

He blinks and the next moment Keith is peppering his face with kisses, tender fingers wiping away his tears. Lance rubs against the gentle touch, softly whining into that rough calloused hands. That earns him another kiss. 

“Are-hah are you okay?” The Black Paladin whispers against him, slowly settling his legs back into the bed. Lance wordlessly furrows himself deeper into the embrace, circling his arms around the man’s waist. Keith chuckles against his skin and that deep thrumming of his heart is like a melody to him. 

Slowly he blinks and looks up at the man already watching him. Lance gives him a soft smile, emotion swelling inside of him and butterflies escaping together. 

“I’m more than okay” He says, smiling as Keith returns the hug, settling his own arms around his back. Their legs are tangled together, glitter, oil and cum seeping into the sheets but he doesn’t care in the least about that. Lance can still feel Keith’s dick inside of him, still rock hard and hole stuffed with cum. He can only giggle “You love meeee”

“That I do” Keith chuckles again, dropping a kiss to his forehead “And you love me back” 

“I love you so much” Lance smiles full, content and so so happy. They meet each other again in a sweet kiss, lips softly brushing against the other. The two of them settle back against the bed, pillows and covers thrown all around, glitter covering every single surface. 

They part against each other and nestle together, skin against skin, hearts beating as one. Lance hums, feeling Keith’s fingers slowly trace shapes and lines around his back, the two of them idly watching the night’s sky stretching above them. 

Then Lance giggles. 

“You were jealous right?” He turns to Keith, smile caught between his lips as more giggles escape his mouth at the dark look settling over the man’s face “Oh my god Keith you-!” 

“Stop it” The Black Paladin grumbles, tightening his arms around him. Lance giggles against his skin, swatting his chest away, but not getting too far. Keith’s dick is slowly softening but that same heat is stirring up again in his gut.

“You were jealooooous Keithy-boy!” He chides, poking at his soft cheeks, earning a scowl from the half-Galra “Aww I’m just teasing you”

“How would you’ve felt if the love of your life was being offered for some sex ritual to someone else huh? Not fucking peachy I think” Keith grumbles, huffing and brows creasing before slightly moving back inside of him. 

Lance gasps at the movement, cheeks flushing both at what’s to come and the sudden declaration aimed right at him. He feels his heart kick over in his chest, fluttering and drumming his emotions away. He hugs the man tighter around him, bringing them back down to a kiss. What was once sweet and caring was not turning hot and heavy once more. 

He could feel that same desire flare up once more. It was too soon, his dick slightly hardening up once more. What in the fuck was inside that tea?

“Keithhh! Ah!” He yelps at the small bite down his earlobe. Keith chuckles against his skin dropping more kisses down his neck “Oi! Keith!”

At that the Black Paladin looks up, eyes dark and brooding, the perfect epitome of handsome, hot and grizzled. God Lance was so far gone for this man. 

“I’m not done with you yet” Keith whispers and slowly he starts moving inside once more. Lance clenches around him, still oversensitive from his previous orgasm but still rearing to keep going. He whimpers, hands clenching around the sheets underneath them. The man smirks and keeps going, making him cry out once again “I’m just getting started” 

Lance can only writhe and shake, holding onto the last thread of sanity before being pulled under once more.

* * *

Sunlight is the first thing he notices when he wakes up. 

Lance groans, turning around in the bed and furrowing deeper against the covers. He settles back down on the luxurious bed, his whole body aching and sore. It shouldn’t be a surprise, both he and Keith kept at it the whole night. He can feel his cheeks flush a bright red, but he wills the memories away, wanting nothing more than to go back to sleep once again. Carelessly he throws his arms to the other side of the bed, expecting it to be met with another body but finds it completely empty. 

Huffing in annoyance, he edges closer and closer but he still finds his hands empty. Lance frowns and slowly opens up his eyes. Sure enough there’s no one sleeping beside him, the bed empty and cold. There’s a moment of panic filling up his heart before a soft patter of feet snaps him out of it. 

He can faintly hear the sound of water running, a smell of roses and lavender reaching his nose as the seconds tick by. Lance continues to frown, mind already wandering to what was going on, but before he could even move, Keith’s face appears before him. 

All of that fucking must’ve taken away the stress and axiety that weighted him down. The man looks alive and bright, eyes twinkling and shoulders at ease. He wears the same pair of loose pants for the ceremony, the fabric hugging him tightly across his waist. God he was so handsome. 

_ I can’t believe you love me _ , his mind replies and lips pulling into a soft smile. 

“Keith” He murmurs, happiness flaring instantly inside his chest. Lance reaches out his hand to him.

“Hey” The Black Paladin smiles at him and intertwines their fingers together without preamble. Keith drops down a chaste kiss over his palm that has him giggling against the pillows “I didn’t wake you did I?” 

“You weren’t here” Lance whines, taking their hold to drag himself over the mattress, covers going alongside with him “It was cold” 

“Sorry sweetheart” Keith lowers and plants a kiss over his forehead this time “I wanted to run you a bath. C’mon let’s get you out of the covers”

“Noooooo” He tries to scoot away, but the hold over his wrist only tightens. Lance pouts, hugging the blankets closer to him “No, come back to bed with me. We’ll cuddle and sleep some more before washing up” 

“Lance” The man chides him, eyes slowly trailing down his very naked body. Lance can feel the hickeys and bruises throbbing from just a single look, his cheeks flushing a dark red at the attention. Keith blushes as well, averting his eyes back down “It’s going to be even harder to clean if we let it slide. C’mon” 

“Come back to bed” He tugs their intertwined hands closer, “Please?” 

Keith blinks and flushes a deep red, the color reaching down his neck as he continues to stare right back at him. 

“You’re tempting me” He mutters and Lance can only blush back. Without preamble he’s tugging the covers away. Lance yelps in surprise, trying to cover his body with something else but his efforts go in vain as Keith drags him across the bed without problem. 

_ Oh my god that’s so fucking hot _ , his mind replies as Lance settles next to the Black Paladin, skin against skin. 

“We-We can cuddle later” The man stammers, giving their hands a small squeeze “But let me clean you up before that” 

“And they say chivalry is dead” Lance mocks earning him an amused chuckle. Carefully he sits up against the bed, muscles sore and throbbing. It must’ve shown in his face because Keith was right there next to him, lips bit in worry. He giggles, settling his wobbling legs out of the bed, “I’m fine mullet, it’s not like dying or anything”

“Wait Lance-” 

Lance stands from the bed already taking one step before he feels the ache on his backside and his legs tremble all over like a new-born calf.  _ What the fuck, what the fuck, what the fu- _

“Oh my god” He whispers and he crumbles down. Strong arms circle his waist before he’s on the floor and Lance laughs in response, legs numb and still tingling with sensation. Keith quickly straightens him up and he has to fully lean into him, supporting all of his weight against the other man’s body “Oh my god Keith, you fucked me so hard I can’t even walk” 

“ _ Lance _ ” The Black Paladin whines, clear concern over his face as he quickly circles Lance’s waist against him. Before he could even ask, his legs swoop out under him and he’s met with a full view of Keith’s broad chest. 

“You-Jesus- _ Oh my god _ ” Lance mumbles against his chest, hiding behind his hands, cheeks aflame. 

Keith’s only response is a deep chuckle before he’s walking. Lance feels the steady beat of his heart synching with Keith’s own, each thud echoing against his ears. Meekly he carefully looks up at the man, chest swelling with love at just the mere sight of his eyes furrowed into worry. Without a second though he drops a small chaste kiss over Keith’s chest as he continues walking. 

His mind is still reeling in everything that just transpired in the last hours, feelings barely making sense inside of him. Regardless Lance feels like he’s never slept better. 

_ I love him so much.  _

_ Te amo, te amo, te amo.  _

They stop moving and Lance peeks his eyes open. They’re standing right in front of the small bath-tub, petals and sparkles decorating the surface. He can faintly see the discarded bottles of soaps and scents tossed to the side and he has to hold back a snicker. Keith probably didn’t even know what to put and just emptied everything into the water. 

Lance giggles and just like that Keith shakes him around in his hold. He shrieks, arms instantly circling around the other man’s neck as he hangs on for dear life. He feels the rumble in the man’s chest just as he begins to lower his arms. 

“Keith I swear to every deity above, if you fucking drop me-!”

“Calm down” 

“You better not drop me Kogane. If you do, I’ll make sure you don’t come near my ass ever again!” 

“You don’t mean that” 

He really doesn’t mean that, but Keith doesn’t need to know that. 

“Oh I do mister!”

“You don’t” 

Lance huffs in annoyance to look back at Keith, but the man looks so self-assured, so certain that his mouth was spilling lies all around. He doesn’t know if he should feel annoyed or maybe a bit more in love. 

“I know you don’t mean it” Keith leans forward, kissing him gently on the forehead. Lance melts all around for him, arms going lax around his neck as he leans closer to the Black Paladin “I know now” 

“You’re a menace you know that?” He chides, sliding his arms back and cupping Keith’s face between his palms. Carefully he caresses the deep scar etched on his cheek before muttering “You don’t know what you do to me” 

“I think you have it all wrong sweetheart” Slowly he feels Keith kneeling down into the floor, taking Lance down with him, body carefully dipping into the perfumed waters. Warmth pulls him under the water easing away his ache and bruises with a single touch. Lance sighs against the water, a pleased smile settling on his lips as he settles on the edge of the tub. 

His toes reach the floor of the bath-tub and soon enough he’s floating into the water, glitter and sparkles already sticking to his skin. Lance holds onto the edge and props his elbows onto the floor, looking up at Keith who was still completely dry and still in his pants. 

“You don’t even know what  _ you _ do to me” The Black Paladin gives him a brief smile before dropping another kiss to the crown of his head. Lance goes wordlessly, wanting nothing more than to pull the man down and into the water with him. Keith pulls back though and stands.

“Where are you going?” Lance keeps his eyes on him “Join me” 

“Just a second” Keith chuckles and moves towards the edge of the small temple. He trails after him inside the tub, watching with curiosity as the man fumbles with a set of strings perched onto the walls. He tugs at one of them and then the tapestries and covers from the right end side of the temple part ways.

Sunlight filters through the whole room, the heat tingling against his skin, but Lance’s feels enamoured at the touch. He blinks for a few seconds before he focuses back on the scenery laid out before him. Wait what-

“ _ What the fuck? _ ” Keith mutters from his place, and Lance has to agree with him. 

The planet of Nyx is covered with greenery and flowers from head to toe. Every crumbled building is already up and repaired and they can faintly hear the chirping of animals and insects, the planet full of life and vibrant colors. 

“It-It wasn’t like that yesterday right?” Lance stammers, carefully swimming across the tub, eyes still stuck on the green foliage covering the city. 

“No” Keith seems just as surprised as him, “Even the buildings, they-”

There’s a loud beeping noise blaring through the room, interrupting their blissful silence. The Black Paladin scrambles in his pants for something and quickly takes out a small communicator. Lance is about to ask but then Keith is pressing a series of buttons and then the call comes through. 

“Lance, Keith are you alive?!” Hunk’s cries from the other end of the line, worry evident in his voice. 

“Hunk please you have to settle down” Allura’s nervous voice comes through, “You-You can’t disturb them during the ritual. It is very-”

“They must be done by now!” 

“I doubt it, for all we know they could still be going at it” 

“Pidge!” Shiro interrupts the girl, and surely Lance feels his cheeks flush in embarrassment. There’s a ruckus coming from the other side of the line, cries and screams pulling through until Shiro interrupts them again “Okay everyone settle down! We just need to check up on them for a moment. If they’re still-”

“Hi Shiro” Keith butts in, clearly uncomfortable and flustered with the turn of events “We’re-We’re here” 

“H-Hey” He meekly calls out to the team, face red and tempting to just hide beneath the water. 

“Lance, buddy!” Hunk calls out “Oh man you’re alive!” 

“Hi Hunk” Lance can barely respond his own voice high with embarrassment. 

“I was so worried!” The Yellow Paladin says “Yesterday you looked ready to bolt back inside the palace, and man I felt so bad for not knowing what to do! But then Keith came in-”   
  


“You should’ve seen him, he was pacing with worry from one side to the other” Romelle laughs against the communicator “He barged into the throne room and demanded to take Prince Silas’ place!”   
  


“Oh yes! It was quite heroic my boy!” Coran interjects “Number Three was all like ‘I’ll fight you here and now!’ Quite the spirit I must admit” 

Lance feels the butterflies swim from one side to the other in his body, mouth open and eyes locked onto Keith. He feels his heart thunder on his ears, the feeling so powerful and intense that he can’t look away. 

The Black Paladin is no better, eyes stuck somewhere in the wall but cheeks painted a lovely red color. He can stop the small giggles escaping his lips at the scandalized look Keith throws his way, shoulders drawn up and scowl in place. It doesn’t do anything to deter his love for the man.

“-Prince Silas really stood no chance against Keith let me tell you” Romelle picks up again “And then-”

“Yeah, yeah whatever, anyways congrats on the sex guys” 

“Pidge!” Shiro again. 

“What?! They blessed the fuck out of this place! They managed to restore the planet in just one night, can you imagine how much-” She yells and Lance feels his cheeks burn.

“I must agree with Pidge on this one” Allura pipes up again “According to King Andros they’ve never witnessed such a fruition of this magnitude on the planet in centuries”

“That’s what sexual tension does to you Princess” 

“Hunk!” Lance cries out, betrayed by his own best friend “I wasn’t-We weren’t-!”   
  


“Oh you were no better Lance!” Pidge calls him out on it, “You had a crush on Keith for years!  _ Since the Garrison! _ And then we get to space you have the opportunity to talk to him and you blow it up!”

“Hey, hey! That’s not true! Nu-Uh! No way!” Keith eyes turn back to him and that amused smirk is back on his lips. God he wants to kiss it off his face “I didn’t have a crush on Keith!”   
  


“Buddy you were depressed the moment he left for the Blade!  _ You _ tried writing to him thousands of times!” Hunk insists and gosh he’s just going to spill out everything to Keith at this point “Pidge and I even found you one morning resting on Keith’s room!” 

“W-Well I missed him, sue me for that!” His voice shakes, eyes purposely avoiding Keith’s face “You missed him too! All of you did!” 

“Yeah but you didn’t see me sponning his red jacket now did I?!” 

“Alright! Everyone settle down” Shiro’s voice draws out everyone else’s. There’s a beat of silence before-

“Keith dreamt of Lance in the Quantum Abyss” 

“Mom!” Keith’s face is red as a tomato, blistering and steam practically coming out of his ears. Lance is no better, mouth agape as the information sinks in. Keith dreamt of him?! Keith constantly saw him in there?! Krolia knew about it?!

“I thought we were all just sharing secrets about your relationship with Lance” 

“Krolia what else did Keith said to you?” Pidge asks.

“He said he was going to confess the moment he saw him” Krolia states “Guess he didn’t do it until now” 

“ _ Mom! _ ” 

“Oh my god!” 

Everyone’s cries are deaf to his ears. Lance can hardly breathe, emotions swelling up as he keeps his eyes trained on Keith. The man in question is shaking in embarrassment, shaking his head and trying to avoid his gaze. 

_ He was going to confess the moment he saw him.  _

Lance pushes forward, the water warm and soothing against his body as the petals move around. Keith turns back to him, face red and scowl plastered on his lips. He reaches the edge of the tub and carefully reaches out to the Black Paladin. 

Keith grumbles and kneels down to the floor, tensing underneath his touch, shivers racking down his arm, but he doesn’t pull away. He threads their hands together, so delicately and so carefully that he feels his heart thrum at the action. Their eyes meet and Lance is slowly tugging him forward. 

“I’ll call you guys later” Keith snaps back, cries from their friend still ringing behind the communicator “We’ll meet tomorrow at the palace and continue on the journey”

“Wait, what-?!” Shiro’s voice is cut off by Romelle’s squealing. 

“Wait a second! Tomorrow?!” Pidge cries. 

“We should depart right now Keith! We-!” Allura says and Keith is already dipping inside the tub, pants still on. The water ripples against them, petals swishing back and forth around the surface as the two of them stand together. 

He can still see that blush dusting Keith’s cheeks, his mouth slowly turning into a small smile as the distance closes between the two. Before all of this Lance thought they were galaxies away from each other, so out of orbit and understanding that they’ll never get a chance to get by. But right here, under Keith’s loving gaze, he’s grateful for being wrong. 

“Don’t care” Lance bites down his smile, pressing himself against the Black Paladin. Keith chuckles and brings them closer, circling his waist with little effort “Bye”

Their friends cry out one last time before the call ends and the communicator is tossed somewhere around the room. Lance giggles and places his arms around Keith’s neck, their lips a breath away from the other. 

It’s warmer now, their bodies pressed together and the soft perfumed water lapping at their skin. He leans down and rests his head right over the Black Paladin’s heart. He feels the small chuckle rumble in his chest as those rough hands draw small circles around his waist. 

His skin shivers at every touch and press of Keith’s fingers, bruises and ache long forgotten already. Lance sighs against his skin, eyes slowly dropping again as the minutes pass. Sunlight touches their skin and contrasts every tone and inch of their bodies together, a feeling so warm and serene overtaking them. 

“You okay?” Keith mumbles against the crown of his head, fingers still kneading his sore muscles over and over again. 

“I feel like this is a dream” Lance whispers, eyes closed and slowly drifting up and away “And I don’t ever want to wake up again” 

Keith chuckles, still rubbing at his skin. Petals and glitter swim around them, slowly drifting them back and forth. Time is endless here, worry and anxiety long gone for the moment. The moment they step outside of the temple they are paladins once more, war and a journey home still weighing down upon them. 

There’s a small hum, rumbling deep within Keith’s chest and Lance feels it echo in his own mind. All thoughts are blocked out, shoved out of his memory as he only thinks about Keith; his eyes, hair, face, caring nature, bravery, ruthlessness, everything is consumed by him. 

A gentle hand cradles his face and Lance looks up to be meet by Keith once more.

“I’m here sweetheart” That same rush from before fills him up, taking and tearing everything down with just those words, and he’s speechless “And I’ll be here as long as you want me around. I don’t plan on leaving again, I promise”

Lance laughs, tears already springing at his eyes and voice stuck in knots. If he’s dreaming he never wants to wake up again. He wants to stay here with Keith for the rest of his life and the next ones to come. 

Carefully he cups the man’s face and pulls him down. Keith goes without a word, eyes already slipping closed as their lips meet. 

Happiness, adoration and love, so much love pours out of the kiss, their lips brushing over and over again. Lance never wants to part away from him, never wants to be without him and he’s sure that Keith wants the same thing. 

This moment between the two, this love, it’s real as it can be. 

**Author's Note:**

> edit: I only added a twitter account I made for klance and post fics purposes haha it's NSFW if you wish to follow me. no minors please!
> 
> 🌻 [**tumblr**](https://castlebrenda.tumblr.com)  
>  🌻 [**twitter**](https://twitter.com/viren_writes)  
>  🌻 [**instagram**](https://www.instagram.com/brendacastle/)
> 
> i've been working on this one-shot for MONTHS AND I FINALLY FINISHED IT! oh god, i swear i never intended for it to be this long but god damn it keep stretching and stretching haha i thought for sure i would give up on it. but here we areeeeee! i hope you enjoyed the fic and have a good day!
> 
> ps. this title of this fic was also inspired by this [song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s50x7bRiv9M) if you want to check it out!


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